Eric Berne

Ian Stewart was born in Glasgow in 1940. He received his secondary education at Glasgow Academy and went on to study at Pembroke College, Oxford. Graduating in 1961, he worked for five years in the scientific Civil Service in Edinburgh. In 1966 he emigrated to England to take up a Research Fellowship at Nottingham University. On conclusion of his research contract he stayed on at Nottingham as a lecturer, gaining his PhD degree in 1970.Ian′s first contact with psychotherapy was as a client. While continuing his own personal therapy, he developed a growing interest in the theory and method of psychotherapy generally and transactional analysis in particular. He entered formal TA training in 1979, and gained accreditation as a TA practitioner in 1984. For several years Ian followed two parallel careers, as lecturer and as psychotherapist. In the end, psychotherapy won the day: in 1989 Ian resigned his university lectureship to pursue a full-time career as a TA psychotherapist, writer and trainer. Ian is the author, with co-author Vann Joines, of the basic text on transactional analysis, TA Today. First published in 1987, the book has been translated into fifteen languages and is widely regarded as the world-standard introduction to its subject. Its second edition appeared in 2012. Ian is Co-Director of The Berne Institute, a TA training centre which celebrates its twentieth anniversary in 2013.Ian lives in a small village in the backwoods of Leicestershire, together with his wife and three cats. His leisure interests include Morris dancing, cycling, fitness activities generally, and the appreciation of real ale.

`Stewart′s report of people′s reactions to Berne I found fascinating... the accounts of the complex theoretical ideas are masterful. I welcomed Stewart′s clear statements about structure and his own main ideas... important studies for practising counsellors and psychotherapists and for scholars and others interested in the field of counselling... rewarding reading′ - Counselling, The Journal of the British Association for Counselling`Ian Stewart has done an outstanding job of presenting a comprehensive overview of Eric Berne, his life, his philosophy and his significant contributions to the fields of personality and psychotherapy... Stewart has made a significant and unique contribution to the literature of transactional analysis. This book deserves reading by all transactional analysts′ - Transactional Analysis Journal`a clear summary of Berne′s work, both theory and practice′ - British Journal of Medical Psychology`The book is well documented and its major contribution is its warning to not take Berne′s theory simplistically, to not be misled by `pop-culture′ transactional analysis, but to turn to all of Berne′s original writings and fuller sources of Berne′s theories′ - Choice`An interesting and informative book′ - Contemporary Psychology

• The Life of Eric BerneBerne′s Major Contributions to TheoryBerne′s Major Contributions to PracticeCriticisms and RebuttalsThe Overall Influence of Eric BerneA Select Bibliography of Berne′s Major Writing