Transactional analysis is a theory of personality and a systematic psychotherapy for personal growth and personal change.

The late Eric Berne, MD, the principal developer and innovator of transactional analysis, began applying it to group psychotherapy in the early 1950s. More recently it has also been used extensively in clinical work with families, couples and individuals. Transactional analysis is also being used in organisational development, education, religion and a variety of other areas. Newer applications of it continue to be found.

In 1958 Berne began a series of meetings under the name of the San Francisco Social Psychiatry Seminar. On 6 May 1960, the group was granted a charter by the State of California as a non-profit educational corporation offering alternative approaches to earlier types of psychotherapy. Later, as theory developed, the group took the name of the San Francisco Transactional Analysis Seminars (SFTAS).

In 1965 the SFTAS became the International Transactional Analysis Association (ITAA). Its purpose is to promote the understanding of transactional analysis and to provide education and training in the application of transactional analysis. Currently the Association has almost 7,000 members throughout the world.

In 1982 the Board Of Certification (BOC), an independent arm of the ITAA, was formed to offer certification of competence in transactional analysis. In 1987 the BOC and Training Standards Committee were incorporated separately as the Independent Training and Certification Council of Transactional Analysts. The Training and Certification Council insists on high standards and demonstrated competence for those offering treatment, counselling, teaching or consultation in transactional analysis.

In 1982 the Western Pacific Association of Transactional Analysis (WPATA) was formed in Australia and has set up a transactional analysis training program very similar to ITAA. By completing the WPATA program one may convert to ITAA certification.

Only people who have attained certification through the Training and Certification Council of ITAA or WPATA are authorised to call themselves transactional analysts.

ITAA and WPATA offer categories of membership that correspond to certification levels, designated as follows: Certified Members are Certified Transactional Analysts specialising in clinical, organisational or educational applications, and Teaching Members are Teaching and/or Supervising Transactional Analysts specialising in psychotherapy, counselling, organisational or educational applications.