Eco-TA: When the Nature Becomes the Co-Therapist

This article is based on a report for a speech at the student online conference of the MIR-TA (International Institute of Development Transactional Analysis, IIDTA) on the topic “Transactional Analysis in the 21st Century”. It provides a brief overview of five articles on the topic of a new area of transactional analysis — eco-TA. The materials answer important questions about the use of ecotherapy and reveal the directions of development for transactional analysis in general. Eco-TA is one of the new directions in transactional analysis, which includes not only the idea of walking with clients in the park and conducting consultations somewhere outdoors, but also a broader understanding of the intersection of the therapist, client and nature relationships. The reviewed articles also raise issues of environmental activism, the deep connection of humanity with previous generations, as well as the idea of nature as a potential co-therapist, a direct participant in the therapeutic process. One of the articles argues that the idea of motherhood, that is, caring and connecting with the world, is important for understanding the relationship between humans and the environment. At the same time, we can familiarize ourselves with possible objections to the use of ecotherapy — and choose the appropriate way to solve the likely difficulties associated with the introduction of eco-TA into our practice. This review helps to understand how we are all connected to each other and to nature and how we can support the importance of caring, connecting and passing on knowledge to the next generation.