Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristyne Thomas.
Hi Kristyne, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
While growing up, I always had an innate nature to help others. When school started getting me ready to think about my future and what I wanted to do with my life, I decided I wanted to do something that made a difference in the world, something that impacted and made someone’s life better. I wanted to be proud of the changes I had effected. I ultimately joined the California Army National Guard to serve my local community and country. After serving in the military, I still felt that my work wasn’t done yet, and I still had so much to offer the world. I went back to school and completed my bachelor’s in psychology. One day after class, I was speaking with our guest speaker about grad school and potential specializations in psychology. He introduced me to life coaching as a viable option to start helping people sooner than later while deciding to pursue further education. Throughout the rest of the year and into the following year, I received signs that life coaching was the path I was meant to take. From falling into a coaching role at work, I was being asked to coach in a veteran program, to receiving phone calls, letters, and emails of gratitude about how one thing I said changed the outcome of their day or their perception of their lives. I learned I could use my life experience and education to help others. So I took a few life coaching courses to help me learn how to apply that knowledge and become a certified coach. After the support of my friends and facing my fears for far too long, I established LightPeak Coaching in January 2021. I truly enjoy coaching and the impact it can have. I have big plans for the future of LightPeak Coaching and look forward to continuing to help as many people as possible while providing quality coaching.
Would it have been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
My life journey itself has been full of challenges. I will give a simplified story of events to avoid getting too much in the weeds. I had a less-than-grand childhood, from unstable living conditions, like a car under a bridge, staying with family members, or a trailer without power and water. I will give my mom where credit is due, I didn’t know we weren’t a ‘normal’ family for a long time. My innate nature to help others coupled with my childhood and adolescence experiences drove me to want to make the world a better place. My observations showed that gangs had the biggest impact on communities. My criminal justice class taught me that any group of people could be considered a gang. I wanted more than just local change. I wanted worldwide change and decided to join the largest gang in the world (at least, that’s what my 16-year-old brain thought). So a few days after my 17th birthday, I dragged my mom to the recruiter’s office and joined the California Army National Guard.
In my senior year of high school, I went to drill once a month, worked a job, took care of my family, took a couple of night classes at the local college, and worked hard to keep my grades up and graduate high school. Right after graduation, I shipped to basic, where a new challenge awaited. Being a female in the military was more common than it used to be, but it still carried a challenge. Every day I fought to prove I was more than capable of being a soldier. I was held to higher expectations than others. I fought off unwanted sexual advances. I advocated for myself and others. I pretended to be a better fighter than I was and acted like I had tougher skin than I did because the perception was everything, and I could not appear weak. Stateside, I had worked at the state HQ legal office and had been simultaneously the only full-time paralegal for a state command unit and MP Brigade. I deployed and ran an office of legal aid. I left the service with years of experience as a paralegal, leader, and trainer.
Even with all that experience, when I left the service and moved to South Carolina, I struggled with my transition. I started school full-time at the College of Charleston and worked part-time. I moved to South Carolina without knowing anyone and needed a support system. Though I was surrounded by people every day, I often felt alone. As a symptom of the challenges I faced during this transition, I gained weight, became anti-social, and didn’t have any local friends. When I started to meet people and participate in more social activities, I often found myself sitting on the floor crying and not wanting to leave the house. My clothes didn’t fit because of the weight gain and I’d have to pretend I was happy and not self-conscious. In those moments I had to make a choice and decide what type of person I wanted to be, so I would pull myself together the best I could and show up. I’m so glad that I did, because my leaving the house to build relationships even when it was hard, resulted in some of the best friendships I could have asked for.
I got married and filed for divorce in the same year. I changed my name twice in less than 12 months. But through all of this, I found myself. Not the same me that “showed up” to the dudes in a pushup competition, or the same me who moved to SC with all the confidence I thought needed, but a different, and dare I say, improved me…This is the me that allows me to volunteer my time, to be a good friend, partner, sister, and daughter. This me is the me that can coach in confidence and guide someone through their journey, long or short.
As you know, we’re big fans of LightPeak Coaching LLC. What can you tell our readers who might not be as familiar with the brand?
I started LightPeak Coaching to help coach people through life transitions and life goals with foundations in life mapping, resilience, and positive psychology. I specialize in veteran development, workplace and individual resilience, and executive leadership. I am passionate about helping people become mentally stronger and better versions of themselves, whatever that might be for them at that point in their lives. People are constantly learning and changing. Many of us are on a constant journey to becoming; what we are becoming is different for each of us. I am a companion, guide, or sherpa to help along the way and celebrate their successes. I have been fortunate that much of my volunteer work has evolved and moved to LightPeak Coaching. I have been proud to work with many veterans over the last 6 years through multiple veteran programs, non-profits, and referrals. I came up with the name LightPeak to represent a guide to reaching goals. The word light is for showing the way on a dark path, or a lighthouse leading sailors to shore, or the sun and moon brightening to open your field of vision and show you what you could not see before. The word peak represents reaching a goal, like reaching the peak of a mountain, the view of a hike, or maxing a personal record in performance; one has to travel or work up to that point.
Through LightPeak Coaching, I offer one-on-one coaching for:
- Life transitions like moving, leaving home for the first time, college, career changes, marriage, and divorce.
- Personal and workplace resilience
- Veteran development like separating from the service, reintegration, civilian job coaching, etc.
I also offer group coaching from time to time in those same categories, as well as corporate group coaching and executive leadership. I plan to host coaching retreats in the future, and I have a very exciting plan for them. I see intense group coaching, yoga, massages, role-playing, and more. While I can’t predict the future, the retreats will be a great value and experience for many.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
I have a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a Minor in Communications.
I hold the following coaching certificates:
– Certified Leadership & Resilience Coach
– Certified Life Mapping Coach
– Certified Veteran Development Coach
– Certified in Career Coaching and Case Management
Contact Info:
- Website: www.lightpeakcoaching.com
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristynethomas/
Image Credits
Zheng Chia
