Certified Transactional Analyst (CTA)
The international qualification in Transactional Analysis, for those who want to go further after the Advanced Diploma.
About the CTA
The Certified Transactional Analyst (CTA) is the international qualification in Transactional Analysis. It is awarded by the European Association for Transactional Analysis (EATA), recognised by TA associations around the world, and in the UK it also leads to registration with UKCP as a psychotherapist.
Our training takes you there a step at a time. The Diploma qualifies you as a counsellor, and the Advanced Diploma as a psychotherapist. The CTA is the step after that, for those who want it: it lets you call yourself a Transactional Analyst, and it is the route to the TA qualifications in teaching and supervision, PTSTA and TSTA.
- Awarded by
- EATA, with the exams taken through UKATA
- Examinations
- A written exam, then an international oral exam
- Training
- The four Connexus stages, or equivalent TA training
- Practice
- 750+ hours of supervised clinical practice
- Leads to
- UKCP registration, and the route to PTSTA and TSTA
Is it right for you?
The CTA asks more than the Advanced Diploma: more clinical hours, more supervision, a longer written exam and an international oral exam. You might be:
- a psychotherapist with our Advanced Diploma who wants to go further in TA
- thinking about training or supervising others in TA one day
- trained in TA elsewhere and looking for support to complete your CTA
- qualified in another modality and wanting to bring that training with you
Where to start
You prepare for the CTA with your Primary Supervisor and take the two examinations with EATA, through UKATA. We support you along the way, but we do not set or mark the exams.
Through accreditation of prior learning (APL), training you have already done may count, so you may not be starting again.
Training with us?
The four years of Connexus training meet the CTA training requirements. Most people qualify with the Advanced Diploma first, then go on to the CTA.
See Stage Three →Trained somewhere else?
Some of the training you have done may count towards the Advanced Diploma or the CTA. Talk to us about what you have done.
Ask us where to start →Preparing for the exams?
Our Study Support courses help with both exams: writing the case study, and preparing for the oral.
See Study Support →How you get there
The CTA sits after the four years of training. The Diploma qualifies you as a counsellor and the Advanced Diploma as a psychotherapist. The CTA builds on both.
Year 1
Stage One: Foundation in TA Theory
The core theory, applied to yourself and your work.
View course →Year 2
Stage Two (a): Clinical Training
Your placement, first clients and supervision begin.
View course →Year 3
Stage Two (b): Clinical Training
Deeper clinical work, risk, group work and research in practice.
★ Diploma awarded
View course →Year 4
Stage Three: Advanced Clinical Training
Depth work, advanced clinical specialisation and your professional identity.
★ Advanced Diploma awarded
View course →Certified Transactional Analyst. A written examination, then an international oral examination, with EATA through UKATA.
What you will need
Training: all four Connexus stages, or equivalent TA training of at least 600 hours (300 of them in TA). Training done elsewhere may count through APL. UKATA membership held throughout.
- 750+ hours of supervised clinical practice, at least 500 of them using TA and at least 50 with groups
- 150+ hours of supervision, one hour for every five client hours, at least 75 of them with a PTSTA or TSTA and at least 40 with your Primary Supervisor
- personal therapy throughout your training
- Mental Health Familiarisation
- an EATA training contract held for at least a year before the exams
The two examinations
- a written examination of 24,000 words
- an oral examination in front of an international panel, presenting recordings of your clinical work, taken at least six months after passing the written examination
Both examinations are paid to EATA. Our Study Support courses are listed with their dates and fees.
What comes next
PTSTA and TSTA
The CTA is the starting point for the TA qualifications in teaching and supervision.
Diploma in Supervision →
Some people continue with us to supervise other practitioners.
Everything starts with a conversation
Whether you are training with us, qualified already, or trained somewhere else, we will talk through your route to the CTA.