Catherine Knibbs | Ep 7

Catherine Knibbs | Ep 7

Watch or listen:
The Psychology of Cyber Trauma, Online Harm, Gaming and Digital Connection.

Cath Nibbs explores online harms, reveals tech’s effect on child behaviour, and offers insight into safer digital interactions, healthy relationships, and solutions, spotlighting digital well-being.

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Cath Knibbs

Cath Nibbs is a cyber trauma expert (amongst adults and children), human behaviour technologist, therapist, podcaster, TEDx speaker, global educator, and prolific author.

Cath’s focus lies at the intersection of online harms, psychotherapy, and how our relationships with technology affect our wellbeing.

She is currently studying towards a PhD. 

The Scope of Cyber Trauma

Cath highlighted her decade-long research into how children experience and process online harms. From witnessing violent or inappropriate content to grappling with social media anxieties, her work unpacks the complex psychological impacts of digital spaces and includes articles, books and developing online content to help others understand online trauma.

Key insights include:

  • Desensitisation or Adaptation? Children and adults may not always recognise how online content affects them emotionally and neurologically.
  • The Role of Technology in Relationships: Cath describes technology as a “relationship provocateur” that can alter how we connect with others and ourselves, potentially redefining attachment dynamics.

Books and Educational Work

Cath’s books delve into technology’s influence on human behaviour. Her forthcoming book, Managing Your Gaming and Social Media Habits, explores why we engage with technology the way we do and how to foster healthier, more intentional digital habits. She also addresses the common misconception that social media is for girls and gaming is for boys, offering nuanced insights into how different people use technology.

Cyber Trauma Therapy and Education

In her private practice, Cath works with children and families affected by online harms, often those from vulnerable backgrounds. She uses innovative approaches like gaming therapy to understand children’s inner worlds, showing how their gaming strategies reflect their real-life coping mechanisms.

She also educates therapists, social workers, and parents on navigating the digital landscape safely. Her aim is to replace fear-driven, authoritarian approaches with informed, supportive guidance.

The Bigger Picture

Cath advocates for a balanced perspective on technology. While recognising its potential for harm, she stresses that tech itself is not inherently bad—it’s human behaviour that shapes its outcomes. Her work encourages critical thinking, nuanced discussions, and better public understanding of these issues.

Where to Find Cath’s Work

Cath’s podcast, The Cyber Synapse, offers deep dives into topics like AI in therapy and data security. Her TEDx talk, The Real Social Dilemma, provides an eye-opening perspective on how technology impacts relationships. You can also find her books, videos, podcast (The Cyber Synapse Podcast) and training resources on her website.

This conversation was a profound reminder of the complex interplay between technology and human psychology. Cath’s work is a call to action for us all to engage more thoughtfully with our digital tools, ensuring they empower rather than harm.

Get in touch with Cath if you would like help around online trauma.

Books Published
Soon to be Published
Other podcasts