About Energy Metaphors III: Basic Conceptual Issues

Abstract

The development of Berne's theory of psychic energy, and its application to practice during the period from the 1950s through the 1970s, may be divided into three phases. The First article (Barnes, 1999a) in this series, which considered Berne's selection, defense, and use of energy metaphors, covered phase one. The second article (Barnes, 1999b), which discussed how Schiff applied these metaphors in the treatment of schizophrenia, covered phase three. This current article outlines the attention to communication metaphors in the middle period, which is called the Satir phase. It discusses conceptual issues arising from the use of quantitative metaphors in both transactional analysis and psychotherapy.

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Notes on contributors

Graham Barnes

Graham Barnes is a psychotherapist, educator, corporate consultant, and Teaching and Supervising Transactional Analyst. He is also the author of more than 30 publications in professional and scientific journals and books, the editor and a contributor to Transactional Analysis After Eric Berne: Teachings and Practices of Three TA Schools (1977a), and a clinical member of the American Group Psychotherapy Association. He is also certified in second-order cybernetics.