ABSTRACT
This chapter reconsiders the use of the couch in psychoanalysis, perhaps the most iconic representation of the entire endeavor. It reviews the history of its use from Freud’s initial declaration of preferring it because he tired of people staring at him all day, every day, to his bestowing it with necessary status, to variations in recommendations for its use. The chapter considers criticisms of its use from conservative to radical. The chapter concludes that while using the couch has its merits for some patients, it should by no means be considered as a necessary and imperative requirement for a treatment to be labeled a psychoanalysis. Issues of time can also can intersect with the use of the couch, and their interaction can play a crucial role in many of the standard bearers of psychoanalytic technique. These rituals are typically the concerns of Chronos, objective tick-tock time, such as the length of a session or the length of a ‘complete’ treatment.
