The Handbook of Knowledge-Based Coaching: FROM THEORY TO PRACTICE

LIFE SCRIPTS

Another central concept in TA is that we develop an idea of our lives as a story in which we are the central character; it is a specific plan for life, rather than a general view of the world, and it is made at an unconscious level. We don’t decide in the adult sense on our life script; the script is developed from feelings and depends on a different kind of reality testing from that used by adults; it’s a means of survival in a hostile and confusing world, and its aim is to achieve the unconditional love of the adults around us. To that extent it represents magical thinking. TA suggests that we tend to redefine reality to justify our script, so the script causes a distortion of reality.