Managing the Therapeutic Relationship: Parental Roles

Abstract

This article reviews approaches to defining ego states with reference to the Parent ego state. It argues that the definitions offer ways to reconsider and explore the therapeutic relationship and identifies five areas in which the presence and operation of the Parent is, or can be, significant.

Keywords:

• Ego states
• Parent ego state
• boundaries
• permissions
• modeling
• attachment
• transference
• therapeutic relationship

Disclosure Statement

The author declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Notes on Contributor

Dr. Phil Anthony is a Provisional Teaching and Supervising Transactional Analyst (psychotherapy) and a psychotherapist in private practice based in Northamptonshire, England. He is also a senior lecturer at the University of Hertfordshire. Phil can be reached at Oxford Street Therapy Centre, Oxford Street, Wellingsborough, Northamptonshire NN8 4HY, United Kingdom; email: [email protected].