Ever wondered why your therapist keeps circling back to your childhood, even when you're focused on what's happening right now? In this episode of Therapy Backstage, we explore the connection between early life experiences and adult mental health.

Joh Knyn unpacks:

• How your childhood shapes the way you see yourself and others
• The role of early attachment experiences in adult relationships
• A gentle breakdown of the four main attachment styles
• Why looking back doesn’t mean you’re avoiding current issues, but a way of reflecting on where your pattens may have come from (an important step in healing)

Whether you're new to therapy or years into the process, this episode helps make sense of why the past is such a vital part of the therapeutic present.

Plus: Tips on some boundary setting phrases you could use with your therapist if talking about your childhood feels too big or too much right now.

In this episode of Therapy Backstage, we pull back the curtain on the opening spiel every therapist gives—about consent and confidentiality. But what does it actually mean? And why does it matter so much?

Joh Knyn, Australian psychologist and your host, explains how consent and confidentiality are more than legal formalities—they’re the backbone of a safe, collaborative therapy experience. We explore how these practices shape the therapeutic relationship, what can go wrong if they're handled poorly, and how to advocate for yourself in the therapy room.

Whether you're a client, a clinician, or just curious—this episode will help you understand the consent and confidentiality spiel in real-world practice.

Want therapy to feel safer, clearer, and more human? This is your invitation backstage.

Silence in therapy can feel awkward, intense—or downright confusing. In this first episode of Therapy Backstage, I explore what’s really going on when your therapist seems to just sit there and stare.

We’ll look at:

• Why therapists use silence in the first place
• What it might bring up for you as a client
• How silence can reveal things that words can’t
• Why it’s not about making you cry or feel uncomfortable on purpose
• How to talk to your therapist if silence doesn’t feel helpful

Whether you’re new to therapy, in it already, or just curious—this episode is your invitation to peek behind the curtain and better understand one of therapy’s quietest tools.

📍Want to go deeper or suggest a future topic? Come find us on Instagram at @therapybackstage

This short trailer introduces Therapy Backstage, a podcast hosted by Australian psychologist Joh Knyn.

In this series, we’ll pull back the curtain on what really happens in the therapy room. Whether you’re a client, a clinician, or just curious, each short episode explores the subtle but powerful choices therapists make—like why they pause, reflect, or ask, “How do you feel about that?”

Therapy Backstage is for anyone who wants to better understand therapy—especially if it’s your first time, you're already in therapy and want to go deeper, or you're an early-career therapist building your confidence.

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 👉 Follow us on Instagram @therapybackstage or YouTube Therapy Backstage Podcast