A psychologist tells us the reason behind a few major moments in Netflix’s Adolescence – especially in episode three. Photo: Netflix

Warning: Contains spoilers for Netflix’s Adolescence.

Audiences worldwide have been truly gobsmacked by Netflix’s new miniseries Adolescence. The show follows 13-year-old Jamie (Owen Cooper), who is arrested on suspicion of murdering his classmate, Katie (Emilia Holliday).

The episodes, which are shot in one single take, follow the story through several different eyes, including that of Jamie’s mum (Christine Tremarco) and dad (Stephen Graham) as they grapple with what has happened and the potential that their son could do such a terrible thing. The show tackles subjects such as toxic masculinity, ‘incels’, misogyny and more, with many viewers praising it for the way it handles the topics.

Viewers have been particularly captivated by the third episode of the series in which Jamie is interviewed by a child psychologist, Briony (Erin Doherty), resulting in some of the show’s most chilling scenes. Speaking to Yahoo Lifestyle, psychologist Jamie Bloch reveals the hidden meaning behind Briony’s actions and what she was trying to achieve with the session.

Psychologist explains the meaning behind the hot chocolate and sandwich in Adolescence episode three

A psychologist tells Yahoo Lifestyle why the psych on the show gives Jamie a hot chocolate and a sandwich he doesn’t like. Photo: Netflix
 

When we first meet Jamie, we are confronted with the fact that this seemingly innocent child could be guilty of such a crime, but over time we start to see another side to the teen.

The third episode sees him meeting with Briony who is there to file a court report. It’s her fifth time seeing Jamie at this point, as she hasn’t made her conclusion for the court yet.

Before heading in to see Jamie, Briony says she needs to get a hot chocolate from the machine in the hallway. Once she’s got it, she adds marshmallows that she’s brought from home, telling the confused guard, “He likes his hot chocolate with marshmallows on.”

When she brings the hot chocolate to Jamie, he says with a smile, “You remembered. Thank you.”

Briony adds, “And I saved you half my sandwich in case you were hungry.”

“What is it?” Jamie asks, with the psychologist telling him it has pickles in it, which we soon find out is something the teenager hates, a stark contrast with the hot chocolate.

Bloch tells us of the hot chocolate, “This moment seems to symbolise the psychologist using a technique to create rapport and a sense of safety and comfort for Jamie.” Photo: Netflix
Speaking to Yahoo Lifestyle, parent and child clinical psychologist and behavioural expert, Jaimie Bloch from Mind Movers Psychology in Sydney’s Double Bay, reveals why Briony brought Jamie the hot chocolate and sandwich.

Bloch tells us, “This moment seems to symbolise the psychologist using a technique to create rapport and a sense of safety and comfort for Jamie. By giving him something comforting like hot chocolate and marshmallows, she’s trying to create a relationship of care to help Jamie feel comfortable with her.

“The hot chocolate with marshmallows is a warm, comforting gesture, while the sandwich with pickles is something he dislikes,” she adds. “Adding in an element of something he dislikes was probably her attempt to try and facilitate a subtle challenge for him and test his reactions and self regulation. How will he respond when there may be a rupture to the relationship, and how will he respond when faced with a minor challenge?”

Why does Adolescence’s Jamie say, ‘I didn’t do anything wrong’?

Viewers have pointed out that Jamie begins the show by saying he didn’t commit the crime, but later changes it to, “I didn’t do anything wrong.” Photo: Netflix
Many viewers have pointed out the fact that Jamie begins the show by saying he didn’t commit the crime, but later changes it to, “I didn’t do anything wrong,” hinting that he’s admitting to the crime, but doesn’t feel that it was the wrong thing to do.

“Jamie’s statement reflects a coping mechanism often used by adolescents when they feel guilt or shame but aren’t fully equipped to process or admit it,” Bloch explains. “At that age, they may rationalise their actions to protect themselves from the discomfort of recognising they’ve made a mistake or hurt someone. It’s a normal part of development, but in Jamie’s case, it shows how he may be struggling to understand the consequences of his behaviour and its impact on others.”

Bloch explains that this is the “hardest part of parenting a teenager,” explaining, “They may engage in adulthood behaviour and communication and we may expect them to understand the consequences of their actions but cognitively and neurodevelopmentally they are still very egocentric and their brains are not equipped to fully understand the consequences of their behaviours.”

In the third episode, while speaking to Briony, Jamie accidentally confesses to the crime shocking both himself and the psychologist in the moment.

What lessons can parents take away from Netflix’s Adolescence

The psychologist tells us “the show highlights the importance of being actively engaged in your child’s life, especially online”. Photo: Netflix
The psychologist also shares with us some lessons parents can take away from the show, telling Yahoo Lifestyle that “the show highlights the importance of being actively engaged in your child’s life, especially online”.

“Many parents struggle to navigate the online world with their kids,” she explains. “How much control can they have, how much autonomy does my child need? It’s a fine line between being too restrictive and too enabling. As parents we must maintain open, non-judgmental communication, with our kids and ensure that our kids feel comfortable and safe talking about what they encounter on the internet.”

Bloch shared an example from her own life, saying, “In my home we focus on this idea that ‘there is no such thing as a silly question’ and ‘there is nothing they would share that would make us love them less’ we also talk about there are no ‘secrets’ in our house. We have to try work on stepping into our kids worlds, and following our intuition when we sense something is amiss.”

Bloch also says it’s “important to remember that shows like this can spark difficult but necessary conversations about the issues facing young people today, especially our boys”. Photo: Netflix
“Kids will find ways to access content even with restrictions so it’s better to focus on the values and relationship with your child so they feel safe coming or you when there is something they encounter,” she says. “I also think as parents to boys we have this huge responsibility to de-shame masculinity and help foster healthy identity and belonging in our young men.

“The toxic masculinity online landscape offers boys a false sense of belonging and can be very alluring. It is also crucial for parents to set and enforce safe internet practices, monitor online activity, and encourage their kids to think critically about what they see online.”

Bloch also says it’s “important to remember that shows like this can spark difficult but necessary conversations about the issues facing young people today, especially our boys”.

“While it’s important for parents to guide their children, it’s equally crucial to listen to them, to be present in their lives, and to acknowledge the emotional struggles they may not always express.”