Exploration Services: Repairing the world one person at a time.


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S T A F F

Seth Kopald, PhD,  Founder, consultant, and Certified IFS Practitioner

 

 

Seth Kopald is Level 3, Certified Internal Family Systems (IFS) Practitioner with a PhD in Organization Management with a Specialization in Leadership and a Masters in Education. Seth's doctoral research was focused on creating safe climates in which people can share their voice, and has been committed to this work with people and their parts ever since. Seth is an experienced Program Assistant for IFS Trainings and has assisted lead trainers for Levels 1, 2, and 3. He works with individuals and couples to help them gain a more centered life with better communication and authentic relationships. He specializes in Self-led Parenting, Spirituality, and Parts Art. He is the author of the book (Coming soon!) titled Self-Led: Living a Connected Life With Yourself and With Others.

Seth became an Internal Family Systems (IFS) practitioner in 2012. He leads individual and couple sessions and groups.  Seth creates a safe space and guides people to care for themselves and others in a loving and insightful way. 

Seth has devoted his professional life to education and self-development.  He was a Montessori preschool teacher, a community college instructor, a consultant for Head Start, and a former Head of a School.  Seth founded Exploration Services in 2002 and has devoted his career to helping people become more centered, confident, and at ease. 

Seth has a PhD in Organizational Management with a Specialization in Leadership and holds a Masters in Education. His Level 1 training was conducted by Dick Schwartz and Paul Ginter, his Level 2 training (IFIO) was with Toni Herbine-Blank and Cathy Curtis, and his level 3 was with Dick Schwartz. He also has had many hours of professional development with Michi Rose.

Seth has contributed to the IFS community by initiating the IFS Self-led Parenting and the Parts Art Facebook pages. He has developed IFS related parenting videos and podcasts, and he has written articles on parenting and couples communication. Also, he is a staff member for IFS trainings. For details, see below.

IFS Contributions

  • Author of Self-Led: Living a Connected Life with Yourself and With Others

  • Staff Member for Dick Schwartz’s Kripalu retreat Training 2023 and 2024

  • Presented a 3 hr workshop for IFSCA Masterclass series: Self-led Parenting: Building Deeper Relationships with Your Children Feb 2023

  • Presented Self-led Parenting at the 2023 Heirloom Summitt for Black Therapists Rock Feb 2023

  • Assisted Cece Sykes for a Level 3 IFS Training November 2022

  • Presenter for the IFS Annual Conference 2022: 1.Self led Parenting and 2. Raising Anti-Racist Children

  • Staff Member for Dick Schwartz’s Kripalu Negotiating Relationships Training 2021

  • Experienced level 1 Program Assistant (PA) for lead trainers: Dick Schwartz, Paul Ginter, Mariel Pastor, Cece Sykes, and Chris Burris (Black Therapist Rock training), and Mike Elkin.

  • Experienced Level 2 Program Assistant (PA): Kay Gardner

  • Designed and facilitated the Rising Together: Supporting Parents with Children’s Home Learning webinars for the Foundation for Self Leadership INNERvention program during the mandatory stay at home orders. May 8 and 15, 2020. https://foundationifs.org/innervention-parents#main-focus (Volunteered time)

  • IFS consultant for school principals and leadership who participate in the Foundation for Self Leadership, IFS in Schools Project. 

  • Program Advisor to the Management Council Team for the IFS in Schools Project 

  • Advisor to the Foundation for Self Leadership, Twitter Communications Team

  • Developed an IFS inspired peacekeeping process featured in the Foundation for Self Leadership OUTLOOK Magazine: Beyond Psychotherapy: Children’s Self-Led Peace Table Talks (Sept, 2019) https://www.foundationifs.org/news/outlook/outlook-september-2019

  • Creator of the IFS Self-led Parenting Facebook page with over 2000 members

  • Creator of the IFS Practitioners Facebook page with over 150 trained IFS practitioners (non therapists)

  • Creator of the IFS Parts Art Facebook page with over 5000 members.

  • HIs review was quoted on the cover of an IFS Children’s book: The Parts Inside of Me, by Shelly Johnson. Other contributors: Dick Schwartz and Michi Rose.

  • Developing an IFS Blog



Publications:

Couples Communication Reaps Many Rewards (Natural Awakenings, February, 2019) https://www.healthylivingmichigan.com/2019/02/01/210285/couples-communication-reaps-many-rewards

Parents are Human, Too (Natural Awakenings, August 2018) (IFS inspired article). https://www.healthylivingmichigan.com/2018/08/02/210531/parents-are-human-too

Videos:

Speaker in Parenting Series, produced by Derek Scott https://ifsca.ca/parenting/

Rising Together: Supporting Parents with Children’s Home Learning. A Series of Short Videos https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKiDfhCr94NWRXk-lzSpUmg/videos

Parenting During Quarantine. Interviewed by Derek Scott. https://youtu.be/kNmd2nhHBpk

Parenting from Self: Finding Connectedness. Interviewed by Derek Scott.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIWO_vbFEys&feature=youtu.be

Podcasts:

The One Inside by Tammy Sollenberger 

-IFS and Spirituality, Self, and Connection

https://theoneinside.libsyn.com/ifs-and-spirituality-self-with-seth-kopald

- IFS and Parenting with Seth Kopald Part 1

https://theoneinside.libsyn.com/ifs-and-parenting-with-seth-k-part-1

- IFS, Parenting, and Organizational Leadership with Seth Kopald

https://theoneinside.libsyn.com/ifs-and-leadership-with-seth-kopald-part-2


To learn more about Seth, please click on the links below.