Meet love & empowerment coach
Karen Strang Allen
I help women understand what’s going wrong in their relationships — and change it.
Healthy relationships are amazing…they add so much richness & colour to our lives, filling each day with warmth, joy and connection.
When we’re loved and supported, we have a comforting refuge during tough times. We also have someone to share life’s adventures with…to explore, laugh and play with.
But what if the love that’s supposed to uplift, support and protect you brings the opposite to your life?
Let me know if any of this sounds familiar…
“I often feel taken advantage of in my relationships. I give a lot, but I get little support in return."
"I seem to attract partners who are emotionally unavailable or treat me poorly, and I don't know how to break this cycle."
“I doubt whether I'm attractive enough, or whether I can find a high-quality partner.”
"I have difficulty trusting men and fear getting hurt again, which prevents me from fully opening up and experiencing love."
Why I do this work…
I decided to specialize in helping women with their relationships because I know personally how painful it is to feel like:
- Everyone else has a good relationship except you.
- You’ve worked on yourself…but you’re still not getting better results.
- You’ve lost faith that you can have what you really want.
And I also know what’s possible on the other side of that.
I know that just because you’ve struggled in the past, doesn’t mean you have to continue struggling. You just need someone to show you the steps to change what isn’t working.
My story…
This work is deeply personal for me
I’ve been coaching women for over a decade now, and I’ve become an expert at spotting the underlying patterns in their relationships.
But it was a long road to get to where I am now.
I became a widow at the age of 22 when my first husband died from liver cancer. My world fell apart, and it took me years to rebuild my life.
I eventually remarried and had kids, but my second marriage ended when I was only 35, and I had to start over again — this time with a 2- and 4-year-old clinging to my leg.
It was a really difficult time.
I was afraid of living alone. I felt ashamed that I couldn’t make my marriage work despite years of therapy. And I didn’t know who I was, what I wanted, or what steps to take to rebuild my life and confidence.
So I did therapy. I worked to understand my past.
But when I started dating again…
I continued to find myself in situations that weren’t good for me. Different person…similar experience.
That’s when I realized it wasn’t random who I was choosing…it was a pattern.
A pattern caused by:
- what I believed about myself (and love)
- what I was attracted to
- and what I tolerated
That’s when the real work began
I was determined to not keep repeating my past. So I stopped dating.
Instead, I read books, took courses and joined programs. I committed to:
- understand my patterns
- heal deeply
- rebuild my sense of self
- set clearer boundaries, and
- raise my standards (in all my relationships)
And finally, things started to change.
Not just in my relationships — but in my entire life.
I came to realize the tremendous power in embracing being single…and rebuilding my life with myself at the center.
And in a short period of time:
I started feeling happier and lighter and freer.
I discovered new activities that brought real passion and joy to my life.
I became more confident in myself and my decisions.
I learned how to determine who belonged in my life…and who didn’t.
I started attracting partners and friends who were truly available emotionally.
But the most incredible transformation was within myself.
Because for the first time…I trusted myself. I loved who I had become. And I finally knew how to choose people who would add to my life…instead of making life harder.
How I can help you…
After my own personal transformation, I trained as a coach to help other women do the same.
I’ve spent over a decade working exclusively with women.
I help smart, self-aware women to:
- understand their relationship patterns
- rebuild their confidence and feel empowered
- learn how to decide who is right — and wrong — for them
- set boundaries and communicate their needs more clearly
- create lives that feel joyful & fulfilling
And this work doesn’t just apply to romantic relationships.
It applies to ALL your relationships.
Don’t let fear, past heartaches, or self-doubt hold you back. It’s time to rewrite your story, create a life that brings you joy, and create healthy, happy relationships.
Karen’s training
Your guide to love and empowerment
With 12 years of experience working alongside thousands of amazing women, I’ve dedicated myself to creating the best tools & strategies to help you create change faster.
I have a Master of Journalism from Carleton University. I’m the author of Free to be me: Create a life you love from the inside out! and international bestselling co-author of Unwavering Strength: Volume 2.
I have training and certifications from some of the most esteemed coaching organizations in the business:
- Certified Hypnotherapist, MindValley
- Foundations of Women-Centered Coaching, Institute for Woman-Centered Coaching, Training and Leadership)
- Transformational Coaching Academy, Clients on Demand
- Certified Success Trainer, Jack Canfield
- Neuro-Linguistic Programming, NLP Canada
- Certified Assertiveness Coach, Doreen Virtue
I’ve immersed myself in training in relationships, psychology, transformational coaching, high-performance training, hypnotherapy, meditation, tapping, and Reiki.
Why? Because I’m committed to researching the latest tools and techniques to help you create change as quickly as possible.
Professional credentials
The foundations of women-centered coaching
(The Institute for Woman-Centered Coaching, Training & Leadership)
Transformational coaching
(Transformational Coaching Academy)
Paul Mokenna Certified Hypnotherapist
Professional Complementary Practitioners
Neuro-linguistic programming
(NLP Canada)
Assertiveness coaching
(Doreen Virtue)
Success training
(Jack Canfield)
As featured in
Just between us
Because life isn’t all work… 😊 Here are some fun facts about my personal life…
I live in Ottawa, Canada with my two kids and our dog, Bailey.
I'm a creative at heart. I love writing content, taking photos, and playing music on my guitar.
I’ve learned to genuinely enjoy my alone time (something I never thought I’d say years ago). I make myself laugh every day, and I sing and dance when I want…because I can!
I love being outside — forests, lakes, oceans… that’s where I feel most at peace.
I have lost many special people in my life - my husband, mother, father, brother, therapist, and many other loved ones. I've learned how to move through grief and to appreciate every day I get with the people I love.
My kiddos are my heart. They're now in university, but they still like hanging with their Mama on weekends!
These days, my life feels: simpler, more grounded, and more aligned with who I am than ever before!
The strangest thing about me? I have a weird gift for short-circuiting electronics. Street lamps, computers, bank machines…you name it, I’ve taken it down. It’s like I have some strange superpower I’ve yet to harness!
My love for exploring is endless. I’ve ticked off many places from my travel bucket list, but there’s always more. Hawaii, Sedona, Grand Canyon, Costa Rica? Incredible. Next stops: New Zealand, Bali, Italy…here I come!
If you found me, there’s a reason
You don’t need to have everything figured out.
And you don’t need to go it alone.
You just need to be open to understanding what’s been happening — and to look at your relationships a little differently.