"The Cowboy Therapist -Berne's Hidden Gem" by Robert L. Hempel (M.Th., TAP) finds this quote in the Forward of Berne's Principles of Group Treatment. Bob is a member of the Co-ordinating Committee of the United States of America Transactional Analysis Association.

2. Robert L. Hempel,
M.Th., TAP
La Grange Park, IL, USA
Pastoral Care Consultant
Transactional Analysis
Practitioner
Member, USATAA Co-ordinating Council
Presentation by

4. “But all, I think I would salute the relaxed
or ‘cowboy therapist’ who has permission
to be happy himself and can transmit this
license to his patients.”
—Eric Berne
Carmel, California
July, 1965
(Page X)
Written in the “Forward” of
The Principles of Group Treatment

5. The cowboy herds the cattle and moves
them into the corral.
The Cowboy Therapist herds the patients
and guides them into the OK—OK Corral.
The Goal!
(Drawing from TA Project by Catherine O’Brien)*
*originated by Franklin Ernst

6. Based on my training with
two “Cowboy Therapists”
Robert L. Goulding, M.D.
Denton L. Roberts, M.Min.
I used the “Cowboy Therapist” model
as a basic “tool” for forty-plus years in ministry.

7. “But all, I think I would salute the relaxed
or ‘cowboy /cowgirl therapist’ who has
permission to be happy joyful him one’s self
and can transmit this license to his one’s
patients.”
Note: Therapists include girls …. change to
cowboy/cowgirl therapist … joyful is a better
word choice than happy …. gender correction
from him and his to one’s.
Revision of Cowboy Therapist, 2015 version

8. My Definition of
The Cowboy/Cowgirl Therapist
One who has permission to be joyful with
one’s self and transmit this license
to one’s patients.

9. P
A
C
How about
using “Cow-person”
here?
Internal Dialogue
Too
Formal
Ukkk…
NO FUN!!
Discussion about terms for modern day “Cowboy”

10. How the Cowgirl/Cowboy Therapist Works
The Adult is always the executive Ego State
and lives in the Here and Now!
The Child and the Parent Ego States are in
secondary executive power to analyze the
data I am receiving from my audience,
either it be an individual or a group.

11. The Cowboy/Cowgirl Therapist
Internal External
Secondary
Power
Secondary
Power
Executive
Power
C
A
P
Transactions Only
Incoming Data
Incoming Data
Incoming Data
The CT uses the Adult when the Patient is in Adult.

12. Adult to Adult Transaction
What time
is it?
Exchanging Information
Twelve
Noon
A ATO

13. The external data is filtered
through all Ego States
First: The Child Ego detects the emotional
stance of the individual or group.
Is the group/individual in a joyful mood,
a sad mood, an angry mood or an apathetic mood?
What is my Child Ego State feeling in this situation?
Comfortable? Joyful? Sad? Angry? Danger?
Uneasy gut-feeling? Are games being played?*
*Denton Roberts

14. The Cowboy/Cowgirl Therapist
Internal External
Secondary
Power
Secondary
Power
Executive
Power
C
A
P
Transactions Only
Incoming Data
Incoming Data
Incoming Data
The CT uses the Child when the Patient is in Child.

15. C
This cold
weather is
killing me.
C
I see you’re
alive and
exercising!
TO
Child to Child Transaction
Exchanging Feelings

16. Does the situation call for a nurturing or
critical response? Should I listen? Does
this situation demand a fast, medium,
slow response, or no response. What does
the Parent Ego State expect the response
to my transaction? What is my history in this
relationship?

17. The Cowboy/Cowgirl Therapist
Internal External
Secondary
Power
Secondary
Power
Executive
Power
C
A
P
Transactions Only
Incoming Data
Incoming Data
Incoming Data
The CT use the Parent when the Patient is in Parent.

18. P P
Parent to Parent Transaction
TO
Exchanging Opinions
This slide
show is
excellent!
I agree,
it is
excellent!

19. My Definition of
The Cowboy/Cowgirl Therapist
One who has permission to be joyful with
one’s self and transmit this license
to one’s patients.

20. Bibliography
Berne, Eric, M.D., The Principles of Group Treatment.
New York: Grove Press, 1966, p X.
O’Brien, Catherine, The TA Project. Published on iTunes'
iBooks, 2015, p. 29.
Roberts, Denton L . Personal Conversation.
All Peoples Christian Center, Los Angeles, CA, 1978.