Episode Blurb: Ego States Through a Cultural Lens In this episode of TA Therapy Ain’t Just White, we’re divingdeep into one of the foundations of Transactional Analysis: ego state theory but we’re doing it our way. We kick things off with a grounded, accessible introductionto Eric Berne, the psychiatrist who broke away from psychoanalysis to create TA. We explore how his ideas emerged from a very particular Western, post‑war,white male context and why that matters when we’re trying to make therapy more inclusive today. From there, we break down the structural and functional egostate models, unpacking the classic Parent, Adult, and Child states in a way that’s real, relatable, and rooted in lived experience, No jargon, No gatekeeping. Just honest conversation about how these states show up in ourbodies, our relationships, and our cultures. Then we get personal. Our Stories — Where Culture Meets Ego State Each of us brings our own heritage, migration story, andinternal messages to the table: • Wendy(Black British / dual heritage, lived in the US) “My British Parent says, ‘keep calm, don’t make a fuss.’But my American experience says, ‘speak your truth.’ My Child wants to burstout — and my Parent whispers, ‘shhh.’” • Craig(Zimbabwean, moved to the UK as a child) “My Zimbabwean Parent said, ‘don’t shame the family —education is survival.’ But UK teachers wanted me to ‘speak up.’ My Childdidn’t know which rulebook to follow.” • Robyn(South African expat) “Back home, the Parent message was: respect authority. Inthe UK, my Adult has to translate between South African directness and Britishpoliteness.” • Mike(Dual heritage Caribbean + white Jewish) “Caribbean Parent voices say, ‘stand tall, don’t takedisrespect.’ Jewish ones say, ‘question everything.’ My Adult is basically apeace negotiator.” These stories open the door to bigger questions: • Are some cultures more comfortable with the Child state — creativity, emotion, play— while others push us into Parent or Adult? • How do race, migration, and colonial history shape the Critical Parent messages we inherit? • If TA was built in a Western frame, what needs re‑imagining or decolonising so it fits our lived realities? • And are UK therapy spaces truly ready to hear these different Parent voices, or do they try to fit us into a box? This episode isn’t just theory — it’s identity, culture, andpsychology colliding in real time. So sit back, lean in, and join us as we journey through egostates with honesty, humour, and the courage to question the models we’veinherited. Because therapy isn’t just white or black — and neither arethe stories that shape us. Music Credits The Road by Ketsa Feelings by 1000 Handz Beats From: Freemusicarchive.org Music: Intro and Outro Voice: - Robert, Birmingham Post-production, editing and transcription: –Candice, Johannesburg
