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The Analytic Couch and Power

Between Tradition and Method: Examining Power Asymmetries in Contemporary Psychoanalytic Practice

By Alexander Mattisseck, Gabriele Cassullo

Published by ibidem Press · 2026

  • Academic

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About this book

<p>The couch is regarded as one of the most well-known and symbolic elements of psychoanalysis, yet its role in the therapeutic process is not without controversy. This book subjects its function within psychoanalytic treatment to critical examination and explores a possible connection to problematic therapeutic dynamics. The asymmetry inherent in psychoanalytic treatment has prompted considerable skepticism, with critical voices suggesting that patients are disadvantaged. These concerns raise questions about the potential for abuse, therapeutic malpractice, and the impact of a more rigid, theory-driven approach that may prioritize psychoanalytic tradition over the well-being of the patient. How justified are these concerns? What do the available research findings reveal about misconduct, abuse of power, and the clinical application of psychoanalytic theory? <br> This book brings the topics of therapeutic power in psychotherapy and the analytic couch into critical dialog.</p>

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