Conversations with Child Psychotherapists

Even after 8–10 years of ERP, most don’t recover. The data is clear. So why are we still treating OCD like a procedural problem?

To many in government, a child’s mind is a datapoint. But some suffering isn’t measurable—it’s symbolic, not yet sayable, still surviving.

Why are my daughter’s intrusive thoughts so much darker than mine? A blog for the parent who quietly wonders—and wants to understand.

Repetitive thoughts aren’t always questions—they’re often cries. Listen beyond logic. It’s not about the answer. It’s about the feeling.

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.

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

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.

To abandon symbolic work is to leave the child un-met, and the therapist untouched. We must reclaim meaning, or risk becoming procedural.