Episode 05: Lisa Poole Part 1

In this episode of Identity First, host Stephanie Fleet is joined by occupational therapist and transactional analysis practitioner Lisa Poole for a thoughtful exploration of identity, communication, and change. Drawing on her experience across health, social care, education and organisational settings, Lisa introduces transactional analysis as a practical framework for understanding how we relate to ourselves and others. The conversation explores how identity is shaped across a lifetime, particularly through significant transitions such as illness, trauma or life-changing injury. Lisa explains the core transactional analysis model — the parent, adult and child ego states — and how our past experiences can subtly influence present-day reactions, behaviours and communication. With clarity and warmth, she shows how greater self-awareness can help professionals navigate difficult conversations, avoid unhelpful patterns such as “rescuing,” and remain grounded in the here and now. The episode also tackles sensitive and real-world scenarios, including supporting people through grief, identity shifts, mental health challenges and disclosures around gender identity. Throughout, Lisa offers practical insights, reflective questions and compassionate guidance that are relevant not only to case managers and clinicians, but to anyone interested in human connection. At its heart, this episode invites listeners to reflect on identity as a lifelong, evolving conversation — and to consider what it might mean to see ourselves, and others, as “perfect, whole and complete.”