99% Invisible Freud’s Couch
Jun 17, 2015
Legendary psychoanalyst Sigmund Freud and his iconic couch are explored in this episode. Learn about Freud's shift from hypnosis to talk therapy, the significance of the couch in psychoanalysis, the history and design of psychoanalytic couches, and the symbolism and influence of the couch in popular culture.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
How A Patient Sparked Psychoanalysis
- In 1891 Freud treated a wealthy patient, Fanny Moser, who refused to be hypnotized and instead talked while reclining on his couch.
- That patient-led talking moment prompted Freud to let patients speak freely and launched psychoanalysis.
Freud's Couch Survived Exile
- Freud shipped his couch from Vienna to London after fleeing the Nazis and used it until his death in 1939.
- The famous couch was a gift from a patient and is now on display in Freud's London home.
Couch As A Tool To Access The Unconscious
- The couch became central to the idea of accessing the unconscious by helping patients relax and