“Three Voices in Your Head and the One That Can Hit Stop”
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Title: I’m Ok, You’re Ok
Author: Thomas A. Harris
Category: Psychology & Human Behavior, Mindfulness & Wellbeing, Personal Growth
What if the voice criticizing you in your head isn't really yours — and what if you could press stop on it? Sam and Sophie open Thomas Harris's classic with that exact question, and it lands a little too close to home.
The episode walks through the three ego states — Parent, Child, and Adult — and why Harris insists they're not masks but genuine ways of being. They cover complementary versus crossed transactions (the boss-parent and employee-child example is painfully familiar), the four life positions and why only I'm OK, You're OK is a decision rather than a feeling, and the games people play, including the classic Why Don't You, Yes But. The stroking discussion — why any attention beats no attention — is the part that really got Sam.
If you've ever reacted to a canceled plan like a three-year-old or heard your mother's voice come out of your mouth, this one's for you. The takeaway: you're not responsible for the recordings, but you are responsible for what you do about them now.
I'm Ok, You're Ok by Thomas A. Harris. For the full written summary, head to 7minutebooks.com/app — over 6,000 fiction and nonfiction titles you can read or listen to in any language, from $2.99 a month, $9.99 a year, or $19.99 lifetime.
Chapters
00:00The Tape Recorder From Childhood01:01Parent, Child, And Adult Ego States02:51Complementary And Crossed Transactions03:40The Four Life Positions05:01Games People Play And Stroking06:33Awareness, Responsibility, And Change
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