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Appendix 38

PROFESSIONAL PRACTICES GUIDELINES

The following guidelines, prepared and revised by the Professional Practices Committee and approved by the Board of Trustees, represent official policy for professional practice on the part of members of the ITAA.

1. ADVERTISING POLICY

1. Only those who have Certified Transactional Analyst training contracts and are planning to be examined for transactional analyst certification may use the terms "In training as a clinical/organizational/educational/counselling transactional analyst," "In training for certification as a transactional analyst," or "In training for certification as a transactional analyst with clinical/organizational/educational/counselling specialty." Using the terms "candidate" or "trainee" such as "Certified Transactional Analyst candidate," or "transactional analyst trainee," or "clinical/educational/organizational/organizational member trainee" may not be used.
2. Only those who have Teaching and/or Supervising Transactional Analyst training contracts and are planning to be examined for Teaching and/or Supervising certification may use the terms "Provisional Teaching and/or Supervising Transactional Analyst," "In training as a transactional analyst teacher," or "In training as a transactional analyst supervisor." Any statement using the words "candidate" or "trainee," such as "transactional analysis Teaching and/or Supervising candidate (or) trainee" may not be used. Additional phrases such as "offering training toward TA certification in clinical/educational/organizational/counselling specialty(ies)" may be used provided the training offered matches the person's training contract.
3. Only those who have passed Board of Certification-approved transactional analyst certification (or a Board of Certification-approved equivalent) may use the terms "Certified Transactional Analyst" or "Certified Transactional Analyst with clinical/educational/organizational/counselling specialty."
4. Only those who have passed Board of Certification-approved Teaching and/or Supervising Transactional Analyst certification (or a Board of Certification-approved equivalent) may use the terms "Teaching and/or Supervising Transactional Analyst" or "Teaching and/or Supervising Transactional Analyst with clinical/educational/organizational/counselling specialty."
5. Although it is recommended that membership category and certification status on printed material (brochures, letterheads, cards, etc..) be written out rather than abbreviated with initials, the following abbreviations may be used:
   1. Membership category: CMC (ITAA), CME (ITAA), CMO (ITAA), and CMK (ITAA). Members who also belong to EATA or other affiliates who use the same membership categories may list in the following manner: CMC (EATA/ITAA). Members who are Teaching Members may list themselves as follows: TMC (ITAA), TME (ITAA), TMO (ITAA), and TMK (ITAA).
   2. Certification status: CTA; TSTA or PTSTA.
6. The words "transactional analysis treatment," "transactional analysis groups," and other words of similar meaning shall not be used unless the provider of services is a Certified Transactional Analyst.
7. Since the word "training" is generally understood to include both instruction and supervision, only those certified or under contract to do both shall represent themselves as "trainers." Those with certification or contracts in either instruction or supervision shall represent themselves with those specific terms rather than "trainer."
8. Only Provisional Teaching and/or Supervising Transactional Analysts and Teaching and/or Supervising Transactional Analysts can sign training contracts and offer instruction or supervision for training credit, all of which must be consistent with requirements set by the Transactional Analysts Certification Council.
9. Statements implying endorsement or approval by a particular trainer shall not be made without written permission from that trainer; the use of a trainer's name to enhance one's status is not considered professional behavior.
10. Association with someone in another membership category may not be used on printed material to imply one's own certification in that category.
11. Advertising produced by Regular Members under CTA contract must be checked with supervisors and supervisors must adhere to ITAA policy.
12. Members are not to produce advertisements which make claims such as "This can change your life." The major message is to be one of protecting and safeguarding the needs of the consumer rather than exploiting him/her.
13. The ITAA endorses individuals, not products. Therefore, announcements regarding products (i.e., books, tapes, t-shirts, etc.) should be kept separate from announcements concerning teaching and training and statements about one's membership status.
14. The words "transactional analysis" may not be integrated into any statement which suggests that the ITAA has granted an individual or organization special privileges or exclusive application of transactional analysis.

2. TRADEMARK POLICY

The logo of the three stacked circles is the trademark of the International Transactional Analysis Association. The logo indicates certified membership in the ITAA. Only certified members may use the logo on stationery, business cards, brochures, etc.

3. RECOMMENDED GUIDELINES ON PROFESSIONAL ETHICS

The following are offered as recommendations rather than policy statements.

1. Members are not to denounce or degrade other members publicly or privately.
2. Trainers are not to accept training contracts with trainees who are under contract with another trainer until a letter of release has been received from the previous trainer.
3. Members are not to solicit trainees or clients from other members.
4. Members are to maintain clear, aboveboard contracts with their clients and fellow members.

Revised 1997