TA Therapy Ain’t Just White – Episode 3The Three Philosophical Principles: Power to Think, Feel and Change

Welcome back to TA Therapy Ain’t Just White, the podcast where psychotherapy meets real conversation, cultural awareness, and the beautifully complex experience of being human.

In this episode, we explore the three philosophical principles that underpin Transactional Analysis (TA):

People are OK
Everyone has the capacity to think
People decide their own destiny — and those decisions can be changed

But rather than simply accepting these ideas as theory, we begin to ask a deeper question:

What happens when these principles meet the realities of culture, race, history and lived experience?

This isn’t a textbook breakdown of TA. This is TA theory meeting real life.

Together, Wendy, Mike and Robyn unpack these foundational ideas through the lens of identity, history and global context. The conversation moves through themes such as apartheid, the significance of Nelson Mandela becoming South Africa’s first Black president, the legacy of intelligence testing within education systems, Black Lives Matter, and the experience of growing up within cultures shaped by inequality and “othering”.

Robyn reflects on growing up under apartheid and how societal messaging can shape a person’s sense of worth and belonging. Mike explores intergenerational experiences of being “on alert” within Caribbean and Jewish heritage, asking how much anxiety is personal and how much may be culturally inherited. Wendy challenges the language of equality through the lens of systemic injustice and contemporary movements for social change.

As the conversation unfolds, the team also reflects on a world where more than fifty active conflicts continue to dehumanise entire communities. This raises an important question: are the philosophical principles of TA universal truths, or hopeful ideals that must evolve to remain meaningful across cultures?

The discussion also moves beyond individualism and explores ideas of interconnectedness. Concepts such as homonomy — the movement from autonomy into relationship — and Ubuntu, the belief that “I am because we are,” invite a more collective and relational understanding of what it means to be human.

Although Craig is unable to join this episode as he recovers, his voice and perspective remain present in the ongoing dialogue as the team continues to wrestle with a central question:

How do we hold onto the belief that “people are OK” in a world shaped by trauma, inequality and systemic harm?

This episode goes beyond theory. It is a conversation about dignity, culture, identity and the possibility of change — not only within individuals, but within the systems that shape our lives.

TA Therapy Ain’t Just White is a podcast created by four Transactional Analysis trainees from marginalised backgrounds, widening the lens of psychotherapy and making space for voices not always centred in therapy spaces.

If something in this episode made you pause, reflect or feel seen, please share the conversation.

Stay grounded.Stay curious.Stay you.

🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts and Amazon Music
📩 Contact: talktotatajw@gmail.com

TA Resources:

ITAA – https://www.itaaworld.org
UKATA – https://www.uktransactionalanalysis.co.uk
EATA – https://www.eatanews.org

Music:
“The Road” – Ketsa
“Feelings” – 1000 Handz Beatz
Source: Freemusicarchive.org

Intro & Outro Voice: Robert, Birmingham
Post-production & transcription: Candice, Johannesburg

#TATherapyAintJustWhite #TATAJW#TransactionalAnalysis #PsychotherapyPodcast#TherapyTrainees #CulturalAwareness#DiversityInTherapy #IAmBecauseWeAre

Episode Blurb: Ego States Through a Cultural Lens

In this episode of TA Therapy Ain’t Just White, we dive deep into one of the foundations of Transactional Analysis: ego state theory, and we do it our way.

We begin with a grounded and accessible introduction to Eric Berne, the psychiatrist who broke away from psychoanalysis to create Transactional Analysis. We explore how his ideas emerged from a very particular Western, post war, white male context, and why that matters when we are trying to make therapy more inclusive today.

From there, we break down the structural and functional ego state models, unpacking the classic Parent, Adult and Child states in a way that is real, relatable and rooted in lived experience. No jargon. No gatekeeping. Just honest conversation about how these states show up in our bodies, 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 and internal messages to the table.

Wendy, Black British with dual heritage who has lived in the United States
“My British Parent says, keep calm and do not make a fuss. But my American experience says, speak your truth. My Child wants to burst out and my Parent whispers, be quiet.”

Craig, Zimbabwean who moved to the United Kingdom as a child
“My Zimbabwean Parent said, do not shame the family, education is survival. But UK teachers wanted me to speak up. My Child did not know which rulebook to follow.”

Robyn, South African expat
“Back home, the Parent message was respect authority. In the UK, my Adult has to translate between South African directness and British politeness.”

Mike, dual heritage Caribbean and white Jewish
“Caribbean Parent voices say, stand tall and do not take disrespect. Jewish voices say, question everything. My Adult is basically a peace negotiator.”

These stories open the door to bigger questions.

Are some cultures more comfortable with the Child state, creativity, emotion and play, while others push us into Parent or Adult?

How do race, migration and colonial history shape the Critical Parent messages we inherit?

If Transactional Analysis was built within a Western framework, what needs reimagining or decolonising so it reflects our lived realities?

Are UK therapy spaces truly ready to hear different Parent voices, or do they try to fit us into a narrow model?

This episode is not just theory. It is identity, culture and psychology colliding in real time.

So sit back, lean in and join us as we journey through ego states with honesty, humour and the courage to question the models we have inherited.

Because therapy is not just white or black, and neither are the stories that shape us.

Music Credits

The Road by Ketsa
Feelings by 1000 Handz Beats
From Freemusicarchive.org

Music:
“The Road” by Ketsa licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
“Feelings” by 1000 Handz Beats licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0

Intro and outro voice: Robert, Birmingham
Post production, editing and transcription: Candice, Johannesburg

Welcome to TA Therapy Ain't Just White, the podcast where therapy meets real talk,

representation, and the beautiful chaos of being human. You'll be hearing from four

transactional analysis trainees from marginalised backgrounds sharing their journey through

training, theory, and life. Whether you're curious about therapy or ready into TA or just want

honest conversations about identity and growth, this space is for you.

Let meet the Trainee Psychotherapist...

Mike:

I’m mixed Jamaican and white British Jewish heritage. Originally from Yorkshire, I lived in London for a bit and now call the Midlands home with my wife and two sons. After a successful career in corporate healthcare, I’m following my instincts, changing direction and retraining as a Relational TA Therapist.

Craig:

Born in Zimbabwe, I moved to England at six and have spent the last twenty years constantly on the move — from Newcastle to London, Leicester, Milton Keynes, Northampton, and now Nottingham- a life shaped by movement, change, and searching. And honestly… that’s only part of the story.

Football was my first dream. I had academy opportunities and believed that was my future. But at eighteen, life pivoted hard, landing me in nightclub management — where leadership, pressure, and people became my real education.

By my mid-twenties, I transitioned into healthcare, becoming a registered manager supporting young adults with autism and learning disabilities. It was there I realised management alone wasn’t enough — people needed deeper understanding, not just systems.

At the same time, my faith was being reignited. Returning to Christianity reshaped everything, leading me onto a path of deeper purpose. Now, I’m training as a psychotherapist — committed to healing, growth, and helping people make sense of their story.

And trust me… this still isn’t the full picture.

Wendy:

Life-long learner, interested in issues around the intersectionality of race, gender, and cultural identity and how to show up as oneself in spaces as a minoritized person. Born in the UK to a White British and a Caribbean parent but lived and worked in the United States for some time, which has shaped my understanding around the systemic influences on identity and socio-political structures that support inequality and injustice.

Robyn:🇿🇦🇬🇧

Born in South Africa and living in the UK since the mid-2000s, Robyn is proud of her Coloured heritage and her lifelong focus on community and family. Married for over 20 years with teenage children, she’s now stepping into a new chapter as a psychotherapist, building on years of supporting children, young people, and families, including those with special educational needs—and her earlier work supporting adults with addictions. When she’s not working, she loves walking outdoors, being near the ocean🌊, and exploring creativity through theatre 🎭 and the arts🎨.

Music Credits

The Road by Ketsa

Feelings by 1000 Handz Beats

From: Freemusicarchive.org

Music:

• “The Road” by Ketsa Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0)

• “Feelings” by 1000 Handz Beatz under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0)

Intro and Outro Voice: - Robert, Birmingham

Post-production, editing and transcription: – Candice, Johannesburg