S6E7: Hospicing Modernity in TA: Questioning How We Learn and Include with Beatrijs Dijkman

In this episode of the Transactional Analysis Podcast, hosts James Longwell and Jr-Earn Lam sit down with Beatrijs Dijkman, a Teaching and Supervising Transactional Analyst (TSTA-Education) based in the Netherlands.Beatrijs shares how her work in the education field and her recent exploration of “hospicing modernity” invite us to question what we teach, how we learn, and invites us to question what aspects of TA we need to update or let go of in the times we live in now.Their conversation ranges from the personal to the systemic, from Beatrijs’ own experience in TA education and exams to broader reflections on privilege, inequality, and how modernity shapes our professional culture.You’ll hear them explore:What hospicing modernity means and why Beatrijs believes TA must question what it keeps and lets go ofHow modern education and qualification systems can unintentionally exclude or privilege certain groups.The tension between TA’s humanistic values and the meritocratic structures within its training and exams.What inclusion really looks like in TA education todayAn invitation to explore how we might create more equitable spaces for learning.It’s a thought-provoking and compassionate dialogue that challenges us to look at TA not as a finished canon, but as a living conversation that evolves through questioning, dialogue, and connection.Guest InformationSince January, Beatrijs has served as co-chair of the PSC (ITAA). Many of her reflections on Transactional Analysis focus on how exams are used and structured within TA pedagogy and training.Her work is always evolving, with a long-standing involvement in social pedagogy and a deep interest in the role of creativity in learning and development. More recently, she has been returning to body and movement work, drawing on her earlier experience as a psychodrama and drama therapist before specialising in TA. WebsiteConnect with Beatrijs on LinkedIn to continue the conversationBook Mentioned: Hospicing Modernity: Facing Humanity’s Wrongs and the Implications for Social Activism by Vanessa Machado de OliveiraSupport Us Want to help keep the podcast accessible for everyone? Join our community of supporters: patreon.com/TransactionalAnalysisPodcastYour support makes it all possible. Thank you.Connect With [email protected] Thank You To Our PartnersThis podcast is brought to you in partnership with the United Kingdom Association for Transactional Analysis. We’re proud to have the UK Association for Transactional Analysis (UKATA as our Patronage Partner. UKATA is a vibrant professional body committed to supporting the growth and ethical practice of Transactional Analysis in the UK and beyond.They support practitioners, trainees, and the public through professional standards, events, and access to TA education. Learn more at www.uka4ta.co.ukWe are also supported by the European Association for Transactional Analysis, and our wonderful Patreon supporters.Support the show