About StartAnew

Phone

0451 903 260

10/1 Hobart Place, AMP Building Canberra ACT 2600
Available out of hours and online

Do you feel or think there is a gaping hole between where you are now and where you want to be in the future? Are you out of sync with your current situation or desired future self? If so, you’re in the right place. Read on...

Karen Freedman, Founder of StartAnew

Our Personal Invitation to You

Life Coaching + Therapeutic Support for Personal and Professional Transitions.

At StartAnew, we offer a unique combination of coaching and therapeutic support for executives and leaders in navigating complex transitions and creating meaningful change.

Whether you’re seeking clarity in your career, navigating emotional pain, or transitioning within your organisation, we help you reimagine your future – with insight, integrity, and care.

How we work

Our approach is holistic and person-centred, grounded in empathy, evidence, and deep respect for your lived experience.

Some clients come with clear goals and want forward-focused, strategic support – this is where coaching shines. Others want to explore deeper emotional patterns and personal history – this is where professional life coaching and therapeutic support offers space for insight and healing. We work with both, blending practical action with inner awareness, so you can move forward with confidence and clarity.

Why Life Coaching & Therapeutic Support Together?

Two Paths, One Integrated Process

Coaching unlocks potential, builds direction, and drives change through goal-setting, accountability, and mindset shifts. Therapeutic support explores emotional wellbeing, unconscious drivers, and past experiences to create space for lasting growth.

Together, they offer a powerful foundation for change – one that’s action-oriented, emotionally grounded, and deeply sustainable.

Meet Karen Freedman

Professional Life Coach. Psychotherapist. Trusted Advisor.

Karen is the Founder of StartAnew, based in Canberra and working with clients across Australia and globally, both in person and online.

She brings over 30 years of senior experience across public health, workforce reform, counselling, research, policy, and international development. With postgraduate Masters level qualifications in Public Health, Counselling, and Psychotherapy, she has worked in diverse corporate and cultural contexts and understands the emotional complexity of modern life and leadership.

Karen is known for her intuitive insight, professional integrity, and her ability to walk with clients through complexity – whether strategic or deeply personal.

Who We Work With

High Performers. Deep Thinkers. Brave Seekers. Our clients are capable, driven, and often seen as resilient, but inwardly may be:

Stuck in self-doubt or high-functioning burnout
Struggling with perfectionism or fear of failure
Managing private challenges while performing publicly
Leading others while feeling disconnected from themselves

We support people who want more – more clarity, more wellbeing, more purpose – and are ready to start the journey.

What We Help With

Support for life’s transitions and emotional depth. Whether you’re navigating personal shifts or deeper transitions, we create space for you to explore, recover and grow.

Life Transitions can include:

Divorce, family disruption, and parenting changes
Mid-life crises and identity shifts
Living overseas, returning home, or cross-cultural challenges
Recovery from substance use and life reset moments

Deeper issues that shape life:

Childhood adversity and attachment wounds
Perfectionism, overachievement, and chronic self-doubt
Imposter syndrome and fear of disappointing others
Difficulty with intimacy, connection, and trust
Trauma and unresolved emotional patterns

You don’t need to do it all alone. StartAnew offers a safe, supportive, and confidential space to make meaningful progress.

Our Mission and Values

Growth That’s Real, Grounded and Respectful

We exist to support sustainable personal and professional transformation — whether in leadership, wellbeing, or life design.

Our work is guided by these core values:

Empathy and trust – the foundation of growth
Diversity and inclusion – every story matters
Balance – between life, work, and health
Accountability – with care, clarity and confidentiality
Imagination – because the future begins with how you see it

A Well-Resourced Toolkit

Karen draws on a powerful mix of skills and experience, including:

Executive and life coaching
Therapeutic support
Systems thinking and leadership development
Research, evaluation, policy and strategy consulting

There is no one-size-fits-all model – we tailor our approach to your needs, goals, and context.

Imagine. Envision. Begin Again.

Whether you’re ready to lead with authenticity, heal from old wounds, or simply design a life that fits who you are now – StartAnew is here to help you move forward.

Let’s reimagine what’s possible. Let’s start anew!

Come join us – online or in person.

Qualified and Experienced

Master of Counselling and Psychotherapy, 2013- 2016

Australian College of Applied Psychology
Areas studied: Constructivist therapies, psychodynamic therapies, person centered approaches, strengths based approaches, trauma and grief, mental health counseling, counseling in diversity.

Master of Science (MSc), Public Health 2002 – 2008

London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, University of London
Areas studied: Public health systems analysis, environmental health, health economics, poverty alleviation, community development, health performance and evaluation, research design, management and analysis.

Bachelor of Arts (BA), Philosophy, H1 1983 – 1988

The Australian National University
Graduated with First Class Honours with a Double major in Philosophy. Majors and sub-majors in Psychology and Sociology