MSc Transactional Analysis Psychotherapy at SPTI

Claire McManus
May 7
4 min read

SPTI were a sponsor of our recent conference and played an important role in supporting the event. Their sponsorship package also included an exclusive feature on our news page.

2024 saw the launch of new Diploma and MSc Transactional Analysis Psychotherapy programmes at the Sherwood Psychotherapy Training Institute in Nottingham UK.

Programme Leader Deborah Blagden and Graduate Officer Collette Colver tell us more.

C: How did the development of the course come about?

D: As a Transactional Analyst Psychotherapist, I really recognised the richness that TA training could bring to the existing range of programmes on offer at SPTI. Creating the course and writing the materials and the handbook was an immense challenge but one that was ultimately very satisfying; being able to craft the MSc training from inception through to delivery.

We were very gratified that our hard work led to validation with The University of Staffordshire and our status as a Recognised Training Provider of UKATA for academic year 2024-2025.

C: What sets the MSc Transactional Analysis Psychotherapy at SPTI apart?

D: The training is Integrative and Relational and covers a wealth of theoretical content and practical skills development. On successful completion of the programme, students will be awarded an MSc Transactional Analysis Psychotherapy degree by the University of Staffordshire.

The course is professionally accredited by the United Kingdom Association for Transactional Analysis (UKATA) and graduates will also be eligible for BACP & UKCP registration as well as membership to both UKATA and the European Association of Transactional Analysts (EATA). Placements are well supported by SPTI, and our TA students will benefit from being a part of the diverse and engaged wider SPTI community of counsellors and psychotherapists.

C: How has the course progressed?

D: We are now moving confidently into Year 2 of our delivery, with a fresh cohort of new first-year students in 2025-2026 bringing their perspectives and enthusiasm to the training. It is wonderful to continue working with our year two group as they progress and mature as trainee therapists.

D: We are now developing the programme by focussing on our APL processes (where students may choose to join us part way through our 4 year training programme) and developing a group for those progressing to CTA.

C: What other initiatives at SPTI support the TA training programme?

D: Well, we have successfully offered our TA 101 training both as an in-person two-day workshop and online training. This has been a helpful first port of call for those considering our MSc and presents an opportunity for our current students to take a TA 101 training with facilitators and a venue that is, or will become, known to them.

We will shortly be hosting Victoria Baskerville for an online Open Seminar (a range of

monthly brief CPD events offering a taster on topical ways of working therapeutically).

We certainly have lots of great ideas for future CPD and have abundant expertise among the facilitator team at SPTI.

About the course:

At SPTI, we offer a training which adheres to Eric Berne’s integrative approach and consequently we explore a variety of TA schools. Our course honours TA’s psychoanalytic roots and holds its object relations and model of ego states and script as central to practice. Alongside a clear recognition of the impact of the social, cultural, political and historical contexts in which script develops.

Underpinning the course are the humanistic values upon which Transactional Analysis is based. These include a belief that human beings are inherently relational, co-operative, growth-seeking and with a natural aspiration towards autonomy. There is also an emphasis throughout on self-responsibility and the possibility of change. We place particular emphasis on those parts of TA theory which draw upon, and bear witness to, the value of working with unconscious processes through the lens of Relational Transactional Analysis.

TA’s origins are from group psychotherapy and students will have opportunity in this training to explore the application of TA to individuals, couples and group therapy and gain experience in these approaches in placement and later private practice.

Visit the course website here: https://www.spti.net/courses/mtap/

Deborah Blagden – Programme Leader

Provisional Teaching and Supervising Transactional Analyst TSTA (P)

Deborah Blagden is a UKCP registered Clinical Psychotherapist, Supervisor and Trainer. She holds a MSc in Transactional Analysis Psychotherapy and is a Certified Transactional Analyst (CTA), and a (P)Teaching and Supervising Transactional Analyst. Her early career began working in a Forensic setting where she was fortunate enough to be trained as a group facilitator and remained (eventually working part time in) for 24 years running therapeutic groups.

Deborah is passionate about working with those clients who experience marginalisation in society and have difficulty accessing mental health services. She has worked in a variety of therapeutic settings, including the NHS and private practice working with individuals, couples and groups.

Deborah is particularly interested in the growth and developmental of Counsellors and Psychotherapists and the sharing and critiquing of theory, knowledge and clinical application. Deborah is a graduate member of the British Psychological Society, a member of UKATA, EATA and the ITAA.

She is currently an Editorial Board member for the Transactional Analysis Journal, an Organisational member External Assessor for UKCP/HIPC and a committee member of UKATAs Training and Accreditation standards committee.