She Turned Heartbreak Into Art: Nikki Allen on Love, Loss & Reclaiming Yourself

She Turned Heartbreak Into Art: Nikki Allen on Love, Loss & Reclaiming Yourself

⚠️ If any part of this conversation resonated with you and you or someone you know is in an unsafe situation, help is available 24/7. National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233 | Text START to 88788 | thehotline.org What happens when the relationship that costs you the most becomes the story you were always meant to tell? In this episode, I sit down with Nikki Allen — singer-songwriter, filmmaker, author, philanthropist, and founder of The Empress Company and Lyrical Content Entertainment Group. Nikki is a woman who has turned every hard thing into art, and this conversation reflects exactly that. She opens up about losing her mother, finding herself deep in a relationship that cost her more than she expected, and how she transformed that pain into music, film, and her debut novel Loved You, Hated You. What struck me most was that even in the hard parts, Nikki never lost sight of who she was — and she made sure we talked about the healing, not just the heartbreak. We cover how grief shaped her early life and career, the story behind her novel, what it really means to be a soul-led woman, and the tools that helped her rebuild and build an empire on the other side of loss. This one is for every woman who has ever loved someone at the cost of herself — and is ready to come back to who she was before. 0:00 – Introduction & Episode Teaser 0:30 – Meet Nikki Allen: Singer, Filmmaker, Author & Founder 1:22 – Welcome to Wings of a Phoenix Podcast 2:33 – Who Was Nikki in Her 20s? Life Before the Relationship 3:55 – Moving to LA & Losing Her Mom — Her North Star Was Gone 5:05 – How the Toxic Relationship Started Slowly 6:46 – The Representative Has an Expiration Date 6:47 – From Song to Screenplay to Novel: Why Loved You, Hated You Needed to Be Written 9:42 – Identity Erosion: When Love Slowly Costs You Yourself 10:38 – The Spiritual Sign She Took as Confirmation 12:57 – Controlling Behaviors That Crept In Unnoticed 14:19 – Physical Abuse & Why She Stayed 16:07 – He Came After Her With a Gun 21:43 – People Only Treat You the Way You Allow: Doing the Inner Work 23:01 – Soul Surgery: Healing Childhood Trauma & Breaking Patterns 26:39 – Creative Expression as Healing: Song, Film & Fiction 29:39 – The Woman Still in It: Nikki's Message of Grace 32:01 – He's Still in Her Life Today — How Boundaries Changed Everything 32:30 – Where to Find Loved You, Hated You & Connect With Nikki 33:08 – Final Words & Call to Action from Trena Meet the Guest — Nikki Allen Nikki Allen is a multi-hyphenate artist, entrepreneur, and author whose life's work sits at the intersection of creativity, healing, and impact. As a singer-songwriter, filmmaker, and philanthropist, she has built a career dedicated to telling the stories that most people are afraid to say out loud. She is the founder of The Empress Company and Lyrical Content Entertainment Group, and the author of the debut novel Loved You, Hated You — a raw, unflinching look at love, loss, and the journey back to self.   Connect with Nikki Allen: https://officialnikkiallen.com/ [https://officialnikkiallen.com/] Meet the Host— Trena Briscoe Matthews Trena Briscoe Matthews is a coach, author, and host of the Wings of a Phoenix Podcast. After more than 20 years at the CIA — including 13 years in executive leadership — and nearly a decade at Cisco Systems — she turned one of the hardest chapters of her own life into her life's mission: helping high-achieving women rebuild with intention after divorce. She is the founder of Silverline Publishing, creator of the Phoenix Protocol — a four-pillar coaching framework for women ready to move from survival to design — and the author of Self-Love for Women and the forthcoming The Phoenix Path. 🔗 Connect with Trena: https://tcbriscoe.my.canva.site/ [https://tcbriscoe.my.canva.site/]  Subscribe to Wings of a Phoenix for new episodes every week. This is your season to rise. — Trena

One Hour a Week: How Kate Markland Turned a Court-Ordered Separation Into a Global Children’s Movement

What do you do when a court tells you that you get one hour a week with your child?   Kate Markland didn’t fall apart. She asked her son Gabriel one question: “Do you want to be the hero of your own story?” That question built a world. Kate is a former physiotherapist, children’s author, award-winning innovator, and founder of StoryQuest™ — a storytelling methodology that has achieved 100% engagement among 465 children in 9 schools, with zero behavioral incidents, and has every single child become a published author. It has been presented to the British Psychological Society and considered by UNICEF. In this episode, Kate shares what her 20 years as a physiotherapist taught her about listening — not to symptoms, but to the story beneath them. She walks us through the night her son Gabriel was removed from her home by armed police, how she survived the darkest chapter of her life one small win at a time, and how one hour on FaceTime became a #1 Amazon bestselling children’s book series and a global movement connecting children across continents. This conversation is for every woman who has ever felt like someone else was writing her story — her divorce, her judge, her ex. Kate’s journey is proof that you are always the author. No matter what chapter you’re in. “You own your story. Nobody else owns your story.” — Kate Markland. TIMESTAMPS * 0:00 — Hook: What do you do when a court limits you to one hour a week with your child? * 1:00 — Welcome to Wings of a Phoenix * 2:00 — Introducing Kate Markland * 4:00 — 20 years as a physiotherapist: learning to hear what people carry, not just what’s broken * 5:00 — Why the answer is always in someone’s story — and how to help them find it * 10:00 — The night armed police removed Gabriel from their home — and a mother’s decision not to quit * 12:00 — The court hearing that changed everything: “do or die.” * 13:00 — When the system tried to silence her — and the moment she stopped negotiating * 15:00 — One hour a week: what the court didn’t realize it handed her * 17:00 — “Shall we make up a story where you’re the hero?” — one question on FaceTime * 18:00 — Writing their story week by week, like Dickens * 20:00 — From a Word document on a messy desktop to a #1 Amazon bestseller * 22:00 — Helen Fielding at Cheltenham, and the moment Kate realized she had something real * 23:00 — How 20 years of physiotherapy became a literacy methodology: the StoryQuest™ process explained * 26:00 — What the stories gave Gabriel — and what they gave Kate * 30:00 — The phoenix quest in the books — and what Kate has had to become * 31:00 — “Use all your skills, Mum” — rowing, endurance, and Gabriel’s advice * 33:00 — Becoming a whistleblower — researching the system that failed her * 34:00 — Finding gratitude in the darkest place — and trusting Gabriel when she couldn’t protect him * 38:00 — Stories Without Borders: one question to one little boy now connects children from Bradford to Lahore to Buenos Aires * 40:00 — Kate’s message to women who feel their story was written by someone else + Trena’s closing FEATURED GUEST: KATE MARKLAND Kate Markland is a former physiotherapist, children’s author, and advocate for every child’s right to tell their own story. She is the creator of StoryQuest™ — a storytelling methodology that has achieved 100% engagement across 465 children in nine schools, turning every reluctant, resistant, or disengaged learner into a published author. When Kate faced a court-ordered separation from her son Gabriel, she transformed their weekly hour together into a collaborative storytelling adventure — one that became a #1 bestselling children’s book series before Gabriel turned twelve. That same insight — that healing begins with being heard — became the foundation of StoryQuest™. The methodology has been presented to the British Psychological Society, considered by UNICEF, and covered by BBC News, Times Radio, and publications across four continents. Kate received the PhysioTimes Women in Leadership Award in 2026, and her global story library, Stories Without Borders, now connects children across Bradford, Lahore, Buenos Aires, and beyond.   She brings clinical rigor, a mother’s heart, and twenty years of listening to people at their most vulnerable to every conversation she has. 📚 The Adventures of Gabriel — theadventuresofgabriel.com [https://www.theadventuresofgabriel.com/] 📺 YouTube — @TheAdventuresofGabriel [https://www.youtube.com/@TheAdventuresofGabriel] 🌐 StoryQuest™ & everything Kate — katemarkland.com [https://www.katemarkland.com/] ABOUT YOUR HOST: TRENA BRISCOE MATTHEWS Trena Briscoe Matthews is a post-divorce coach and author helping high-achieving women — especially divorced moms — move from survival mode into their most intentional chapter yet. Through Silverline Publishing & Coaching and her signature Phoenix Protocol, she guides women to rebuild — not just recover. She is the author of the upcoming book (working title) The Phoenix Path: A Woman’s Guide to Rediscovering Her Voice, Reclaiming Her Confidence, and Writing Her Next Chapter — and her launch team is now open. 📖 Join the Launch Team: thephoenixpathbook.com [https://thephoenixpathbook.com] 📞 Book a Complimentary Clarity Call: call.silverlinepublishing.cloud [https://call.silverlinepublishing.cloud/] 🎁 Free Phoenix Reset Guide: free.silverlinepublishing.cloud [https://free.silverlinepublishing.cloud/] 🔗 Connect with Trena: tcbriscoe.my.canva.site [https://tcbriscoe.my.canva.site] Until next time — this is your season to rise.

Your Ex Isn't the Only One Who Needs Boundaries | Protecting Your Peace After Divorce

Are you setting boundaries with your ex but letting everyone else drain your energy?   In this episode of Wings of a Phoenix, post-divorce coach Trena Briscoe Matthews reveals the hard truth: real reinvention after divorce means protecting your peace from everyone — not just your ex.   We talk about: - How your social circle shifts after divorce. - Why it feels harder to set limits with friends than with an ex. - How to recognize when a friendship has hit its expiration date. - Why this chapter of your life is by invitation only.   If you're a high-achieving woman 40+ rebuilding your life with intention, this episode is for you.   📥 Download the FREE Phoenix Reset Guide — your first step from surviving to designing your life with intention: https://free.silverlinepublishing.cloud [https://free.silverlinepublishing.cloud]   📞 Book a Complimentary Clarity Call: https://call.silverlinepublishing.cloud [https://call.silverlinepublishing.cloud]

A High-Achiever’s Guide to Self-Love: The One Apology That Changes Everything

Buy Self-Love for Women on Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DKK55WFC [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DKK55WFC] — Follow along with our April Miniseries. Access the Phoenix Reset & Free Resources: https://tcbriscoe.my.canva.site/ [https://tcbriscoe.my.canva.site/]   "We’ve spent years over-performing to prove our worth, rather than simply owning it. Today, we’re stopping the performance."   In this finale of our April Self-Love mini-series, host Trena Briscoe Matthews leads you through a radical act of self-reclamation. This episode is for the woman who is tired of waiting for an apology from the past and is ready to give herself the closure she deserves. Inside this episode: * The Radical Worthiness Reflection: Identify the blind spots keeping you from your brilliance. * The Love Letter Exercise: A step-by-step guide to writing your way into your next chapter. * Ending the "Not Enough" Narrative: Moving from over-functioning to unapologetic worth. Today’s Mantra: "I am worthy of my own forgiveness, and I am the author of my next chapter." ABOUT WINGS OF A PHOENIX Wings of a Phoenix is the podcast for high-achieving women 40+ navigating life after divorce. Host Trena Briscoe Matthews helps you move through the chaos, reclaim your power and peace, and intentionally design your next chapter.   #SelfLove #PostDivorce #SelfWorth #WingsOfAPhoenix #DivorceHealing #WomenOver40 #SelfCare #HighAchievers #LifeAfterDivorce

A High-Achiever’s Guide to Self-Love Post-Divorce

Buy Self-Love for Women on Amazon - https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DKK55WFC [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DKK55WFC] — Follow along with our April Miniseries. Access the Phoenix Reset & Free Resources: https://tcbriscoe.my.canva.site/ [https://tcbriscoe.my.canva.site/] Welcome to Part 2 of our April Self-Love mini-series on Wings of a Phoenix. In this episode, host Trena Briscoe Matthews dives into why putting yourself first isn't just a luxury—it’s a rescue mission. For the high-achieving woman used to managing everyone else's needs, reclaiming your own identity and time after divorce is the first step toward true healing. Inside this episode: * The "Me First Hour": A concrete 60-minute blueprint to help you sit with your own needs and feelings. * The Self-Love Series: How this "Day 14" exercise bridges the gap between acknowledging your beauty and owning your worthiness. * Breaking the Cycle: Why we habitually put ourselves last and how to shift that narrative. Today’s Mantra: "I am the most important woman in my life, and today I will put my needs and feelings first."   ABOUT WINGS OF A PHOENIX Wings of a Phoenix is the podcast for high-achieving women 40+ navigating life after divorce. Host Trena Briscoe Matthews helps you move through the chaos, reclaim your power and peace, and intentionally design your next chapter.   #SelfLove #PostDivorce #WomenEmpowerment #PersonalGrowth #SelfCare #WingsOfAPhoenix #DivorceHealing #HighAchievers #LifeAfterDivorce