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Writing on Adolescent OCD and Emotional Life
Clinical reflections on intrusive thoughts, compulsions and the emotional life of adolescence. These pieces are written for families, young people and professionals who want to understand what symptoms may be communicating, while remaining attentive to established psychological treatment.
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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
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
Broken Links, Repeated Acts: Attacks on Linking and the Architecture of OCD
Some OCD rituals aren’t about fear — they’re about broken psychic links. This post explores obsessionality through Bion’s theory of linking
marcuslewton
Apr 3, 20253 min read
Why His Rituals Don’t Look Like Anxiety: Understanding OCD in Autistic Children
Not all rituals in autistic children are just routine. This post helps families spot when OCD is present — even if it doesn’t look like anxi
marcuslewton
Apr 3, 20253 min read
When the Drive Repeats: OCD as Repetition Compulsion, Not Just Anxiety
Not all OCD is driven by fear. This post explores how some rituals repeat unconscious guilt, desire, or helplessness — not just avoid anxiet
marcuslewton
Apr 2, 20253 min read
You’re Not the Therapist – But You’re Still the Anchor
You don’t need to be the therapist. You just need to be the anchor. Here’s how to support your child with OCD without burning out or losing
marcuslewton
Apr 2, 20253 min read
My Child’s OCD Got Worse When Things Got Better
Why does OCD sometimes get worse when things improve? This blog helps families understand the emotional logic behind a confusing pattern.
marcuslewton
Apr 2, 20253 min read
What You’re Experiencing Isn’t a Character Flaw — It’s an Emotional System
OCD doesn’t just make you anxious — it makes you feel wrong. This post is for anyone who thinks they’re failing at being human.
marcuslewton
Apr 2, 20252 min read
When Kindness Feels Contaminated: Envy, Projective Identification, and the Adolescent Who Can’t Let the Good In
Envy and intrusive thoughts- not what it seems.
marcuslewton
Apr 2, 20254 min read
More Than a Symptom: Understanding Obsessive Structure, Intrusive Thoughts, and OCD
Understanding obsessive structure means seeing beyond symptoms—into how a young person thinks, defends, and survives through loops and contr
marcuslewton
Apr 2, 20254 min read
Why Does My Child’s Mind Do This?Understanding Intrusive Thoughts as a Form of Protection
Intrusive thoughts can feel terrifying—but often, they’re the mind’s way of protecting a child from emotions too big to bear.
marcuslewton
Apr 1, 20252 min read
It’s Not Who They Are: Making Sense of Taboo Thoughts in Adolescents
Taboo thoughts in teens aren’t signs of danger. They reflect inner conflict during adolescence—when new impulses outpace understanding.
marcuslewton
Mar 30, 20252 min read
“ How Can They Be Fine One Minute and Lost the Next?”
When your child swings from calm to crisis, it’s not your failure. It’s the shape of the struggle. Here’s how to understand it.
marcuslewton
Mar 29, 20252 min read
“Not Every Child Can ‘Just Do ERP’": A Conversation About Intrusive Thoughts, Support, and What Needs to Change”
ERP isn't for everyone. This conversation explores readiness, deeper work, and what it means to never give up on a young person.
marcuslewton
Mar 29, 20255 min read
“What Should I Say?” When Reassurance Doesn’t Work
When reassurance doesn’t work, it’s not because you’re doing it wrong. Sometimes, it’s not about answers—it’s about staying close.
marcuslewton
Mar 29, 20251 min read
The House with a Locked Door: A Parent’s First Glimpse into OCD
A parent’s first glimpse of OCD isn’t always a diagnosis—it’s the sense that their child is there, but behind a door they can’t yet open.
marcuslewton
Mar 29, 20252 min read
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