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Listening to Psychic Architecture: A Reflective Practice
Listening to psychic architecture means attuning to deep emotional structures beneath symptoms—containment, presence, warmth, care.

marcuslewton
May 4, 20255 min read


“Do They Really Need to Understand It?”
Can we treat OCD without understanding it? A fictional debate between two clinicians explores timing, structure, and symbolic readiness.

marcuslewton
Apr 21, 20255 min read


My Child Won’t Talk About Their Thoughts. Should I Push?”
If your child won’t talk about their thoughts, don’t panic. Silence isn’t failure—it’s a signal. Here’s what to do instead.

marcuslewton
Apr 21, 20252 min read


When Your Child’s OCD Speaks in Code: Why Logic Isn’t Enough
When OCD rituals don’t respond to logic, it’s not defiance—it’s emotional code. Learn how to listen for what’s really being said.

marcuslewton
Apr 21, 20252 min read


The House, the Bunker, and the Panic Room
What if OCD isn’t one condition, but four psychic positions? A new way to understand rituals, retreat, and recovery in young people.

marcuslewton
Apr 18, 20253 min read


Why Intrusive Thoughts Get Worse at Night
Intrusive thoughts often strike hardest at night. Here’s why bedtime makes the mind vulnerable—and how to support your child through it.

marcuslewton
Apr 13, 20252 min read


Uninterpretable States: How to Stay With What Refuses to Mean
Not every silence needs decoding. Some states refuse meaning. This lecture teaches how to stay when the symbol won’t come.

marcuslewton
Apr 11, 20254 min read


Not Yet: When Interpretation Becomes Intrusion in Adolescent Therapy
Not every interpretation lands. Some come too soon. Learn how to recognise when a symbol isn’t ready—and why that matters in OCD work.

marcuslewton
Apr 10, 20252 min read


I’m Scared to Say the Wrong Thing
You don’t need to be perfect. You need to stay in the room. What to say when you’re scared to say the wrong thing to your child.

marcuslewton
Apr 9, 20252 min read


Stop Focusing on the Compulsion
Stop cataloguing rituals. Start listening for what breaks if they don’t happen. Treat the structure, not just the symptom.

marcuslewton
Apr 8, 20252 min read


How to Tell If Your Child Is Symbolising or Just Repeating
Is your child expressing something—or just repeating it? Learn how to tell if a ritual is symbolising, or if it’s stuck in survival mode.

marcuslewton
Apr 8, 20253 min read


Understanding Symbolic Breakdown in Adolescent Obsessionality
When a young person stops symbolising, rituals remain—but meaning drains out. Symbolic collapse is quiet, but devastating. (Lecture 2).

marcuslewton
Apr 8, 20255 min read


The Institutional Defence Against Meaning: Why Clinics Abandon Symbolic Work
To abandon symbolic work is to leave the child un-met, and the therapist untouched. We must reclaim meaning, or risk becoming procedural.

marcuslewton
Apr 8, 20253 min read


Beyond the Skills: A Symbolic Clinician’s Guide to Working Psychodynamically in a Manualised World
A guide for clinicians who want to practise symbolically—even within ACT, DBT, and CFT-dominated services. Hold the thread.

marcuslewton
Apr 7, 20253 min read


Don’t Tell Me What They’re Doing — Tell Me What It’s For
OCD rituals aren’t just behaviours — they’re attempts at meaning. Stop listing actions. Start listening for what the act is doing.

marcuslewton
Apr 6, 20252 min read


Why Is My Child Doing This?
Sometimes a ritual isn’t just a habit — it’s a child’s way of saying, “I’m sorry,” or “I love you,” when words feel impossible.

marcuslewton
Apr 5, 20252 min read


Symbol Formation, Destruction, and the Ritualised Mind: Listening to Hanna Segal in the Age of OCD
When a ritual replaces a symbol, the mind isn’t irrational — it’s grieving. Segal helps us listen to what the act is holding.”

marcuslewton
Apr 5, 20255 min read


How Can I Help If I’m Not Supposed to Reassure?
Reassurance feels kind—but can keep OCD stuck. Learn how to support your child without feeding the fear, and what to say…

marcuslewton
Apr 4, 20252 min read


ERP Sounds Terrifying – Is My Child Ready?
ERP Sounds Terrifying – Is My Child Ready?

marcuslewton
Apr 3, 20252 min read


When the CBT Workbook Stays Closed
CBT can fail when symbolic resistance blocks meaning. Discover why refusal isn’t laziness—but a defence against unbearable psychic contact.

marcuslewton
Apr 3, 20253 min read
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