**Abstract**

Considering the contemporary discipline to be in a state of crisis, and as having in a certain sense betrayed its origins, requires that we consider what of Freud's revolutionary discoveries have been forgotten. It is argued that the priority of freeassociative praxis led Freud to posit 'helpful notions' that would serve as the fundamental coordinates or 'cornerstones' of his discipline. The extent to which these have been lost in the promulgation of new models is assessed.

**Keywords:** theory, praxis, repression, sexuality, oedipality
