Karen van Kampen is an author, creative writing instructor and award-winning journalist who has built a career on writing, sharing and listening to stories. She focuses on the art and science of storytelling to educate, inspire and connect to gain new perspectives and boost well-being.
In The Brain Never Sleeps: Why We Dream and What it Means for our Health (Simon & Schuster Canada, 2026), Karen guides readers on a journey through dreamland to discover why dreams matter and how we can reclaim this alternate realm of experience. Her interest in dreams began at the age of nine when her dad opened one of the first independent sleep laboratories in Canada and she was his first lab assistant, practising electrode hook up and testing. She went on to work on the business side of sleep for more than 15 years.
Karen offers insightful and engaging talks on the power of human story in the age of AI. Karen leads interactive workshops for individuals and companies to learn the essential elements of a compelling story that connects and inspires audiences, taking their ideas from concept to podium. Karen explores how we can harness our natural superpower of sleep to improve our well-being and shares how we can use dreams as a creative brainstorming tool in business and in life. Karen has audiences create their own dreamer toolkit to reveal their concerns, reduce nightmares and benefit from the insights and self-awareness of dreams.
She is the author of The Golden Cell: The Quest for the Next Great Medical Breakthrough (HarperCollins), which garnered extensive media coverage. Her writing has appeared in various publications including The Globe and Mail, National Post, Flare magazine, FASHION magazine and Reader’s Digest. She has worked as a writer and editor at several magazines and newspapers. Karen teaches creative non-fiction and science and public health writing at the University of Toronto.
Speaking Topics
Storytelling
The Power of Human Story in the Digital Age
Discover why human stories have the power to strengthen learning, empathy and well-being. Learn how we are wired to communicate and connect through story, empathizing with characters and gaining personal insights. Discover how storytellers and listeners share similar brain activity as a story unfolds and the “narrative transport” of storytelling that connects people emotionally. Learn the art of strategic storytelling, the essential elements of a compelling story and how to package your story to make it your own. Practical tips on effective communication to build a digital presence, make big ideas resonate and find your voice to influence, inspire and make a meaningful impact.
Storytelling as a Business Tool
Learn the importance and impact of compelling stories to build brands, become a trusted voice and drive change. Hands-on instruction to develop your voice as a leader and communicator, craft your message and shape your story to connect with your target audience and achieve your strategic goals. Learn how meaningful, authentic stories create a dynamic and engaged work culture and build a loyal audience that lives your brand. Tips on creating valuable content that meets customer wants, needs and challenges. Explore the power of story-based advocacy to drive social change.
Sleep, Dreams and Well-being
Build a Work Culture that Prioritizes Sleep and Well-being
Sleep fuels the body and the mind, just like food. Learn how sleep and dreams can improve workplace productivity, job satisfaction and employee retention. Adopt healthy sleep habits and create your own sleep system to gain health and wellness benefits in your personal and professional lives.
The Dream Dimension: Why we Dream and How to Use Dreams to Improve our Waking Lives
Explore the connection between dreams and waking life to reveal your preoccupations, concerns and state of mind. Uncover possible functions and many benefits of dreaming. Investigate dream engineering to guide your dreams, reduce nightmares and harness their creative power to solve problems and gain new insights.
Night Shift: What Our Work Dreams are Trying to Tell Us
Explore common work dreams, their impact on productivity and happiness, and what happens to our sleep and dreams if we try to suppress work anxieties. Gain strategies on how to combat and manage work stress dreams. Create your own dreamer’s toolkit of high-tech and low-tech dream tools to harness the benefits of your dreams for your health and well-being.
To learn more about Karen’s business storytelling and consulting work, visit her consulting website. Through Daring and Kind, Karen partners with organizations and individuals to craft authentic narratives that connect, influence and drive meaningful change. The site offers insight into her consulting approach, client collaborations, and how story can be used as a powerful tool for leadership, innovation and impact.