The Birth of ALT-University

"Hi Liv, it's me. I was just calling to say goodbye. Please tell mom & dad I love them."

The number of souls who have uttered that line and not survived, is far too many to imagine. Somehow I was lucky enough to see the sunrise that next 2017 morning, all because my sister answered the phone. 

Now, I can't remember a time I had ever been suicidal prior to that day or since, but like so many who live their life in such despair, I was never diagnosed with depression, PTSD, or any other mental aliment. Yet, the emotions I was feeling and the way they were affecting my mind, drive for life, and physical form, had me feel stuck and disconnected from myself. I had studied various sources and seen enough counselors to know I had experienced many forms of all three. Of course, no one should never self diagnose, but symptoms are symptoms, and I was not me. However, with my previous knowledge of mindset & manifestation practices, I was sounded healthy and mentally stable to outside witnesses. Especially since I was unwilling to accept pharmaceuticals or allow a label to dictate myself or my experiences.

Hello, my name is Adrienne L. Thomas. I am the founder of ALT-University & the creator of the ALT-University Emotional Completion Program (Shadow Walk Program) and head content creator. This is my story & how ALT-University came into existence.

While I cannot explain all of the labels I probably should have been deemed after that day. I can share with you how I got there, why I am here now & what my life's mission is.

In 2016, I rather ignorantly opted into a self-study course of SHAME. A certain demise that many never really overcome. A living HELL on Earth if your would. Granted I was unsure of exactly how that would look when I took this life position, but I can tell you that I never quite expected what I received.

I had ridiculous reasons for the choices I made and was being fed more crap by myself and others, and yet somewhere in the very depths of myself, I remember intentionally choosing to eat it all. I ate knowledge that I previously never wanted to know. I ate knowledge that I knew I’d learn from. I ate knowledge that would ultimately cause emotional damage and distress to myself and others. I also ate wisdom. This was wisdom I knew I could share if I was able to learn and heal. Luckily, I was. In no way does this wisdom excuse my actions. However, it did provide insight into a world so many others have dealt with, that I previously had no knowledge of. That world is the world of shame!

I suppose on some level I could say that I didn't really grow up with much inherent shame at all. My childhood was rather simple, fairly common, and not all too exciting. I grew up middle class in a family full of artists. I myself was a dancer and knew from a very young age that I wanted to open a dance studio & work with children.

In 2001, I did just that. My business partner and I decided upon a Yoga & Dance studio. We would hire someone to teach yoga while she and I would focus on dance. My personal approach to teaching children was by using somatic practices that empowered mindset. In order to train a child to push their body to various levels of performance, and flip their legs over their head (acrobatic dance) one's mindset has to be right. I knew by helping children feel confident in mind, body, & soul, I would leave an impact on this world hopefully for the better. 

It wasn't until a hired Yoga instructor failed to show up for our adult classes, that I realized I needed to expand my teaching abilities. At first I treated it as a simple stretch class, not many at that time were interested in traditional Yoga anyway. And while I had studied a variety of philosophies throughout my life, I wasn't sure about trying to press the practices. However, overtime I feel in love with these practices that led to deeper personal development. I also realized that if the parents weren't aware of their own mindset, then the children would only get so far, since these limiting beliefs are  typically learned through environmental factors.

The unfortunate part when teaching these adults, was my own inability to help them internally override a much darker belief that prevented them from living fully free. This stagnant area of their life was something I couldn't quite put my finger on or even comprehend. Why were they so unhappy, stressed, anxious, depressed, or resigned in life? Why did they freeze, lie, hide, or snap so easily? Why wasn't life exciting, fun, and inspiring to them anymore?

Yes, they had experienced pain, we all have...but not until using myself as a test subject did I finally get what was weighing them down. SHAME! Shame is a sneaky little sucker. It creeps in most when people break their own moral code to themselves. The kicker is that this happens more than not to most people without them even knowing it. How often it is that we make agreements with ourselves that we don't always follow through on let alone break promises to others. These small & large acts of betrayal slowly pile up until we barely recognize who we are. 

It was here in this lost connection of SELF, where Alt-University was born. You see in 2016, I betrayed my moral code. In this choice I betrayed many others as well, but it was the breaking of MY CODE to ME, that had me want to leave this planet for good. I couldn't stand to live in my own skin anymore. And is was this personal D-Day when everything shifted. 

I knew that with my knowledge of mindset, manifestation, somatic practices, and resilient drive, if I could create a way for me to overcome this inherent shame I was suddenly living with, then I could help others of the same. So 2018, was doing just that, healing me. Over the course of that year, a well very strategic program, presented itself. One where people could revisit past transgressions in a very linear fashion that would not only lead them to the initial creation of their false belief system, but that would also deliver the experience linearly so the mind could comprehend it fully and allow the body to recalibrate as required. The bonus in doing this is the process uncovers one's life purpose, reconnects the person to their inherent JOY, and inspires the person to uphold personal principles that keep them living aligned with their most authentic self!

After testing this process on various friends, family & clients, I knew there was something to this. It was freeing people! They felt lighter, more focused, had clearer vision, and a renewed desire to LIVE boldly again. Fear of negative emotions and darker days became something to explore, enjoy, and find the humor in the satire of it all. They were able to accept, forgive, and love themselves again wholly and completely. The best part...the process was fast, and the results were immediate!

This was when I realized I can't do this alone. More coaches needs to know how to facilitate this process, because everyone needs this! Why, because when you KNOW what your working with, you can shift it. Most life coaches help you find your WHY, but it is the one that gets you up every morning and keeps you motivated (at minimum) to keep going. We help you find your other WHY...the one that keeps you stopped, reserved, timid, and nervous. Without finding this WHY, forward movement feels forced, heavy, weighted and requires external influences for personal motivation. With our WHY found, personal dreams become inspired PLAY! Joy is ever present, vulnerability is empowering, emotions are regulated and truths are fully expressed.

Living like this is invigorating & FUN...and that is what we help others find...the fun again! By facilitating others journey we are able to help them learn how to LIVE again, how to LOVE more, and how to let the False-Self die, so they can once again feel that childlike innocence and PLAY-UP...WHOLE-OUT!

This is where we began and WHY we are so passionate to HELP the world HEAL! Maybe one day you'll join us!