An interview with Ethical Advisor Sabine Blumenstein.
As EATA celebrates its 50th anniversary, we also take time to reflect on how our community continues to evolve. One important step in this development is the recently signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between EATA and ITAA, a milestone that strengthens ethical cooperation and reinforces our shared commitment to safeguarding the integrity of Transactional Analysis.
In the conversation below, Ethical Advisor Sabine Blumenstein shares how this collaboration emerged and what it means for the future of ethical practice in our community.
1. Could you briefly introduce the Memorandum? What is it, and how did the collaboration come about?
As Ethics Advisor to EATA, I had the privilege of collaborating with Emma Haynes (UK), Co-Chair of the ITAA Ethics Committee, and committee member Alex van Oostveen (South Africa). Since May 2025, we met almost weekly for 1.5 hours. Through this sustained cooperation, we jointly proposed the Joint Ethics Committee (JEC) Policy and Procedures and the Memorandum of Understanding, which has now been formally signed.
Why did we create the JEC?
The MoU establishes a commitment to share critical information between EATA and ITAA in situations where both organisations may be affected. Previously, the independent operation of the two associations created a vulnerability: gaps between the organisations were being exploited, leading to unethical behaviour and harm.
For example, after an ethics complaint, a person might be excluded from examining within EATA, yet could examine the next day in ITAA exams. Due to confidentiality rules, this information was not shared. The JEC addresses this gap.
2. How do you see this Memorandum contributing to ethical awareness and practice within EATA and the wider TA community?
Our hope is to protect Transactional Analysis, our associations, clients, trainees, and colleagues from behaviours that have been identified as unethical. This collaboration feels particularly innovative and important, as it creates a safer environment for our members and for the wider TA community.
3. What feels particularly innovative or important about this collaboration at this moment in time?
The JEC is built on absolute trust and confidentiality between the two associations, and, through EATA, also with our affiliated associations. This trust exists both on a personal level and on a technical level. For example, we will have a secure and protected IT system to store and exchange information.
Another important aspect is that in matters of concern or complaints, the protection of the individual is central. Some people say, “This feels like a police force, I prefer to trust.” From my point of view, it is protective and opens a chance to learn. If I am not confronting, I am not offering a moment of development or learning.
4. Looking ahead, how do you see this work shaping the future of ethical dialogue and cooperation within our community?
For a long time, we relied on trust, and most individuals respected the rules. Some did not, intentionally or unintentionally. EATA did not monitor these processes, and sanctions from affiliated associations were not visible to us. This created a “mousehole” through which sanctions could be avoided, for example by moving from one association to another.
Transparency has made this visible. And as our associations grow, these learnings become even more important. The idea of the JEC is to support one another, ITAA to EATA and vice versa, strengthening ethical cooperation across our global TA community.
If you would like to explore the full Memorandum of Understanding, you can access it here.