The 29-year-old Australia right-back was looking for a club after his contract at Scottish club Dundee United had expired, when he joined up with PFA Scotland's innovative inaugural free agent training camp in Kirkintilloch in June.
The three-week programme is a significant new support service for players navigating the uncertainty of free agency.
Strain, the former Maccabi Haifa and St Mirren player who began his senior career back in Australia with Adelaide United, then got the call from Falkirk boss John McGlynn before signing on a one-year deal.
Ahead of their trip to St Johnstone in the Premiership on Saturday, the six-times capped Strain explained: "PFA Scotland put on a training camp and it was brilliant, like coming back to a club. So I've got to thank them.
"They had coaches in lunches, everything, and it was brilliant.
"It's mentally hard being without a club. It's good that you're with people in the same position, though.
"I think the best thing about the PFA initiative is that you're with people who are in the same position.
"You can talk to people about what's going on and everything like that.
"Trying to train on your own as a footballer is so hard, you're just doing box to boxes every day and you're sick of it.
"So it was good to get in, train with a group of lads and that mentally helped.
"I was there for two weeks. I then got a phone call from the manager here at Falkirk just seeing what I was doing, and as soon as I heard they were interested, I really wanted to make that happen.
"I rang my agent and said, 'yeah, make that one happen', because I was watching them last year, and the football they were playing was outstanding, and I just wanted to be a part of it.
"Last season wasn't my best, probably my worst season in Scotland.
"I got an injury early, and then just couldn't get back in the team, and coming off-contracts is hard.Â
"But thankfully I got a chance here and I'm just trying to repay that.
"I have loved it, loved every minute, playing a lot of games, played every minute in the league this so far."
Falkirk beat Hearts 2-1 at home on Tuesday night for their first win in six games and Strain is looking to build on that impressive result in Perth.
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