About Carrie Hopkins-Doubts

My life’s work is to support people going through the upheaval and chaos of major life transitions and the sense of profound loss and identity confusion that are part of these changes. I help people embrace change as a co-creative partner and transformational opportunity, rather than wasting precious time, energy, and money resisting and reacting to these changes. As the founder of Life’s Next Chapter Coaching, my passion is helping men and women accelerate their healing process, discover new dreams for themselves, and consciously and powerfully rebuild their lives. I help people reconnect with their heart, reclaim their power, and realign with their purpose to create their life’s next chapter.

People who have lost a spouse or life partner due to divorce or death are struggling to discover how to be a “me” after being a “we” for so long. That was certainly my challenge when my husband of thirteen years and I suddenly divorced. Like many of you, I found it difficult to “just move on” and “get over it”. I was in excruciating pain, and yet I was determined to learn from this experience so I could avoid repeating my mistakes in the future. I felt compelled to create something meaningful and beautiful out of this pain, so I immersed myself in self-development and personal growth.

In 1995, I went back to school and earned a Master of Arts in Spiritual Psychology with an Emphasis in Consciousness, Health, and Healing from the University of Santa Monica. I served as the Director of Education Administration and Faculty Development at USM for nearly 20 years and as a faculty member in the Spiritual Psychology Program for 10+ years. In 2013, I earned my professional coaching certification from the  Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching (iPEC). I am also a Certified Grief Counselor by the American Academy of Grief Counseling. I hold the Professional Certified Coach (PCC) credential with International Coach Federation (ICF) and am a Certified Transformational Presence Coach through the Center for Transformational Presence Coaching and Leadership. In 2015, I completed the Mentor Coach Certification Program at Invite Change.

I founded Life’s Next Chapter Coaching in 2013. Why? At the time I was completing my Coach training, I was encouraged to decide what my coaching “specialization” would be. Most of my peers where going into executive and business coaching. That choice seemed to make sense for them, but not for me. In an experience that I can only relate to as a “calling,” I knew that my purpose as a coach would be to support people during difficult periods in their lives.

I’d originally been educated to become a Marriage and Family Therapist, but decided that it wasn’t the career path for me. In addition to the knowledge of Clinical, Transpersonal, and Spiritual Psychology I gained in the classroom, my training had given me years of experience in holding a safe space for people going through tremendous emotional upheaval. My training as a coach gave me the clarity that supporting people through their loss and life changes was not enough to help them rebuild their lives. I discovered a passion for guiding people into consciously creating the life they are meant to live on the other side of this upheaval. So, I created Life’s Next Chapter Coaching out of that inner knowing that this would be my life’s work.

In 2021, I experienced first-hand another kind of profound loss. My second husband died suddenly and I became a widow overnight. This humbling experience taught me, again, that I am strong, resilient, and - despite feeling abandoned - I am never alone. It gave me a renewed faith in life and love. And, it was a difficult journey, for sure. Before Tom’s death, I had a map of the territory of grief and loss and could act as a compassionate guide for others. Now, I’ve walked the territory myself - sometimes on my hands and knees. When you meet with me and share your story of grief and loss, you know that I know exactly what you are talking about.

I believe in the value of service volunteer my time and skills in several capacities: Currently, I serve as the Chair of the Ethics Independent Review Board for the International Coaching Federation. I also enjoy facilitating Implementation Mastery Sessions for the World Business and Executive Coach Summit (WBECS) and I have been facilitating free divorce support groups on a monthly basis for over 7 years. In the past, I provided bereavement outreach to families for Hospice of Cincinnati, taught classes at the Osher Life Long Learning Institute at the University of Cincinnati, and served as a child advocate for the organization Guardian ad Litem.

I am a Senior Partner with the Wellness Universe. To find out more about this initiative, see the video below.