Healthy Symbiosis

Transactional Analysis

Prepared By Manu Melwin Joy

Assistant ProfessorIlahia School of Management Studies

Kerala, India.Phone – 9744551114

Mail – manu_melwinjoy@yahoo.com

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Healthy Symbiosis

There are some situations

in which it is appropriate

for people to be in

symbiosis. This is known as

healthy symbiosis.

Healthy Symbiosis

For example, I have just

come out from under

anesthetic after an

operation. Nurse is holding

my hands and telling : “ You

will be alright. Just hang one

to my hand”. At that point,

my Adult and Parent are out

of commission.

Healthy Symbiosis

I am in no condition to

start assessing here and

now problems. I don’t

have the energy to access

the messages I got from

my parents about how to

look after myself.

Healthy Symbiosis

I am doing what is

appropriate for me to do :

regressing to being a child

again, feeling my pain and

letting myself be cared for.

Healthy Symbiosis

The nurse is giving the

parent and the adult input I

needed. She is dealing with

my current problems while

giving me protection and

reassurance. This is her job,

so she also is appropriately

in her symbiotic position.

Healthy Symbiosis

In Schiffian terms, we say

that the nurse and the

patient are in healthy

symbiosis. When the word

symbiosis is used alone, it

normally implies unhealthy

symbiosis.

Healthy Symbiosis

How do we distinguish

formally between healthy

and unhealthy symbiosis?

The answer is that a

symbiosis will be unhealthy

whenever it involves

discounting.

References

Thank You