Dr. Carrie & Holden West

Dr. Carrie West and her son, Holden West, have transformed their shared experience of grief into a mission to support others going through similar struggles. Their journey began in 1999 when Shane, Carrie’s husband and Holden’s father, died in a car accident. Carrie and her two sons, Nathan (7 years old) and Holden (1.5 years old), navigated and learned through the grieving process together.

Today, Carrie is the Director of Research for Soaring Spirits International and an
Associate Professor of Communication Studies at Schreiner University. She earned her PhD in Communication from the University of Denver, focusing on interpersonal and family communication. Meanwhile, Holden has become a Mental Health Counselor at Northern Colorado Behavioral Health, supporting mental health and grief. He holds a degree in psychology from Schreiner University.

Since 2012, Carrie has been actively involved with Soaring Spirits International, where she has contributed by creating and publishing the Widowhood Resilience Scale and conducting research to continually assess and improve SSI’s programs. Over the past several years, Holden has volunteered at Kid’s Camp and at Camp Widow. Now, he continues his work in mental health, dedicating himself to helping individuals navigate the complexities of mental health, and especially grief.