Although we don’t see much in the rooms of psychiatrists and psychologists who practice psychotherapy today, Freud and his colleagues used to have a sofa in their room and treat their patients. they put them on the couch and listened to their problems that way. At the time, it was thought that the patient could open up comfortably in this position, while it was believed that the therapist could act impartially.

This tradition has become obsolete because psychoanalysis is being used less and less as a form of therapy. Psychoanalysis; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Schema Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, EMDR is just one of the types of therapy and we can say it is the oldest one. Long lasting, expensive It is no longer preferred by therapists and clients for reasons such as But Freud developed and used it as a form of therapy.

Interesting story of Sigmund Freud from neurology to psychiatry:

Sigismund Scholomo Freud, named in the registry office; Born in Austria-Hungary, He is a neurologist of Jewish descent. After completing his medical education, he spent some time studying brain anatomy and neuropathology. Then he started working in the psychiatric clinic to research cocaine.

In 1885 he went to Paris thanks to the grant he received. At the Salpêtriê Hospital, next to Jean Martin Charcot examined the symptoms of hysteria, the effects of hypnosis and suggestion. After staying here for two years, he went to Berlin and started working as a private doctor. Meanwhile, he married his fiancé of four years, Martha Bernays. Then he began to develop psychoanalysis. He used to have a big couch in his room where he accepted his patients, on whom he applied psychoanalytic therapy. There was also a Turkish carpet on this couch.

A Turkish carpet in Izmir travels to Freud for use in therapy.

There are two different theories about how the carpet got to the therapy room. First according to theory in 1885, Freud’s cousin, who was a merchant and worked as a carpet maker He gave him a carpet from Izmir as a gift. Freud liked it and covered it on his couch, thinking his designs could have different connotations.

According to the second and more detailed theory, he married Freud’s sister. A merchant named Moritz gave it as a gift.. Considered a distant relative, Moritz, while working as a merchant in Thessaloniki, comes across a tapestry from Izmir and brings it to Freud. The psychiatrist, who at that time worked as a private doctor and had a couch, liked it very much and put it on his couch. It is said that he took this tapestry with him to the cities and even to the countries he moved to afterwards. It is said that not only the Turkish carpet, but also the Persian carpet hangs on the wall of the therapy room. You can visit Freud’s London house, which has been turned into a museum, online at the link here.

The reason for Freud’s interest in Turkish carpets may be the polygamy observed among Turks at the time.

They write that the reason why the psychiatrist was interested in Turkish carpets was Freud’s forbidden union with his sister-in-law they are tired of life. Because the Turkish tapestry, which was given as a gift, came to Freud at that time. Turks with their polygamous marriages It was known in Europe, and this rug may have been kept in his room by the psychiatrist because it actually evoked sexuality in him. At the same time, he also wrote an article entitled “Death and Sexuality”.

Whatever the reason, we know that the famous psychiatrist kept this tapestry in his room and placed it on his couch. Let’s listen to the effect of this on patients from one of Freud’s patients: As soon as I sat down on the old, torn sofa, my heart melted. As my body sank into the soft cotton, my soul sank with it. I always had tears in my eyes. It wouldn’t have had the same effect if I had been sitting on the couch, I feel much stronger when I lean on my back.

• Sources: KimPsikoloji, TunaJournal, EUROZINE, MyMatterPort