Drivers & Injunctions Explorer

Our behaviours are often shaped by patterns that were formed long before we had conscious choice. In Transactional Analysis, drivers and injunctions describe these familiar yet automatic ways of showing up in the world — patterns that once helped us cope, stay safe, or stay connected, but that may now limit our freedom, authenticity, and ease.


This interactive tool invites you into a gentle, structured exploration of your own internal “pushes” and early messages, so you can recognise what tends to take over and what becomes possible when these patterns soften.

This is not about diagnosis. It is about awareness,

Let's Explore

(Hold in landscape if you are using this tool on your phone or tablet)

What Are Drivers?

Drivers are compulsive behavioural pushes that operate outside our awareness.

You might notice them as:
  • “I have to get this right.”
  • “I must keep it together.”
  • “I can’t relax.”
  • “I can’t disappoint anyone.”
Drivers served a purpose in childhood — they helped us adapt to our environment. But in adulthood, they can narrow our range of choice, erode wellbeing, or create patterns of overworking, over-giving, rushing, or self-pressure.

The goal isn’t to get rid of them, but to become aware enough that you can choose differently.

What Are Injunctions?

Injunctions are deep, often non-verbal “don’t” messages such as:

  • Don't feel.
  • Don’t be important.
  • Don’t succeed.
  • Don’t be you.
These messages are not usually spoken aloud; they are absorbed through family dynamics, emotional atmospheres, or relational experiences. They quietly shape what we believe is safe, allowed, or possible.

By bringing them into awareness, we open the door to compassion, re-permission, and a more authentic expression of self..