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ABOUT SETH

Who is Seth Kaufmann? You may have gotten to know me in my capacity as a strength and conditioning coach on A&E's  Fit to Fat to Fit, but the work I do now goes way beyond the physical. I’m a Holistic Systems Coach, which is different than the fitness trainers you find in local gyms, or life coaches you find online. Holistic Systems Coaching means that I am equipped to address multiple dimensions of your life as a whole — this includes mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual wellness — to help you thrive in all areas of your life, for the rest of your life.

Let's talk about holistic systems coaching...

You're already whole.

Together, we'll dive into your inner self to learn what motivates you and develop systems and a wellness plan that helps you thrive.
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What is Holistic Systems Coaching?

Holistic Systems Coaching is similar to holistic health coaching and holistic life coaching, but takes it to the next level with a grounding in General Systems Theory, which is the study of how all systems, from our bodies to our social systems to our planet, adapt and thrive. Holistic Systems Coaching is an integrative coaching philosophy that focuses on multidimensional lifestyle changes to improve your overall health and wellness; Holistic Systems Coaching is multidimensional and, therefore, it is vastly different from traditional fitness training that you might experience with a personal trainer or fitness coach at your local gym, or a life coach that you might find online.

 

As your Holistic Systems Coach, I look at the big picture to discover what you truly need to live your best life. We'll analyze your current lifestyle to determine which habits support your wellness goals and which undermine your wellness goals, and, together, we'll design and develop new habits and rituals to reduce the friction in your life, and support your dreams becoming your reality.

 

In our coaching engagement, we will move through a progressive curriculum that I've developed which contains knowledge and skillsets that I believe are essential for our quality of life and relationships. These are not skills anyone is taught in school or within our culture, and most people seeking out this information have to spend tens of thousands of dollars and travel to dozens of different workshops and retreats over the course of years to learn these skills. In the Holistic Systems Curriculum, I've synthesized more than 20 years of my own trainings and study to weave this knowledge together for you, and I deliver it to you in a customized format that you can keep with you for the rest of your life.

 

While serving as your Holistic Systems Coach, I'll provide you with a clear, structured, guide that brings all areas of your life together (e.g., physical, emotional, spiritual, and sexual) which, of course, will be customized for you - after all, your life, your goals, and your circumstances are completely unique.

What is holistic systems coaching?
How did I become a holistic systems coach?

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How did I become a Holistic Systems Coach?

I have always believed that in order to improve something, you have to look at the big picture.

As someone with a Master’s degree in Exercise Physiology and Strength and Conditioning, I have great respect for my peers in the academic and professional world of exercise science but I have to be honest: there are many shortcomings in even the most scientifically robust approaches to personal fitness coaching.

 

The worlds of fitness coaching, life coaching, wellness, yoga, mindfulness etc. are all based in good intentions, but often become exploitative. Due to a lack of governance and consistent standards, there are many underqualified people working in these fields. And, just like every industry, there are internalized patterns of prejudice and oppression that show up both institutionally and in small, every day interactions.

Over the last fifteen years, I’ve consistently continued my education. I'm always studying the physical, emotional, mental, social, and spiritual systems that make up our lives, motivated by the desire to be sure that I’m always offering my clients the most comprehensive, whole life systems support possible.

I call this support Holistic Systems Coaching.

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What credentials and experience do I bring to Holistic Systems Coaching?
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Florida Atlantic University

Master's (M.S.) in Exercise Physiology and Strength & Conditioning

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I graduated from Florida Atlantic University with my Master’s degree in Exercise Physiology and Strength & Conditioning, and I became a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) where I became a personal trainer in Palm Beach, FL and ultimately founded my own gym, Iron Lion Fitness.

While completing my Masters Degree, I worked as a Strength & Conditioning coach at Perfect Competition (now Bommarito Performance Systems) training elite athletes from the NFL, MLB, NBA, college athletics, and more. I left that position to for a new opportunity to be the south east sales manager for VPX sports, where I learned the ins and outs of the supplement industry.

Iron Lion Fitness

Entrepreneur & Personal Fitness Trainer in Palm Beach, Florida

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At Iron Lion, we incorporated affordable personal training, yoga, endurance training, nutritional counseling, spin classes, and life coaching for folks in South Florida, where our workouts were both challenging and diverse — we held seminars on, among other things, hot yoga, vinyasa, cardio, and weight training —  however, inevitably, I noticed that some of my clients didn’t sustain their wellness goals.

After being a fitness professional for 6 years, I realized that if I continued to focus solely on my clients’ physical fitness, then I would only be treating the symptoms of a larger wellness problem. When you’re only looking at a fraction of a whole system, you miss important things!

 

Even though I’ve helped thousands of people shape their bodies, both inside and out, I couldn’t keep watching my clients continue their unhealthy and self-sabotaging patterns; this was when I began integrating psychological, mindfulness, and spiritual elements into my work which was later showcased on A&E's featured series, Fit to Fat to Fit, and in People Magazine.

Yoga & Meditation Instructor

Featured in Yoga Journal (2015) and in Yoga Magazine (2019)

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Because I saw the difference that meditation and spirituality made in my own life, I sought out the best teachers and guides that I could find to ensure that I was approaching holistic wellness training ethically and with full integrity, a journey of learning that will never end. When I initially was certified as a Yoga teacher, I dove deep into study and practice, though I realize now that most Yoga teacher trainings in the West just scratch the surface of the profound whole life system that Yoga provides. Because of this, in recent years I have focused more heavily on the paths of Yoga that have a strong emphasis on spiritual, mental, and devotional dimensions of our growth; this includes, among other things, delving deep into the Bhakti yoga world of Neem Karoli Baba and Ram Dass. While studying these spiritual paths, I kept returning to my profound connection with my Jewish heritage and, as a result, I simultaneously dove deeper into indigenous Jewish mysticism and integrated what I learned from my spiritual journey into my work with clients in inclusive ways. 

Interspiritual Minister

Ordained by OneSpirit Interspiritual Seminary (June 2020)

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My profound connection with my Jewish heritage grew alongside my career which, coupled with my perspective on holistic fitness coaching, Yoga, meditation, and spirituality, led me to consider becoming a Rabbi. I consulted with Rabbi Rami Shapiro, who helped me realize that the best path for me was to study to become an Interspiritual Minister; an approach to spiritual guidance that meets anyone where they are — regardless of whether or not they are religious, atheistic, or agnostic — and support them in finding more meaning and connection in life. Thanks to Rabbi Rami Shapiro's guidance, my wife, Ganga Devi, and I dedicated ourselves to two years of in-depth study and became ordained as Interspritiual Ministers from OneSpirit Interspiritual Seminary.

Authentic Tantra Practitioner®

Accredited by the Institute of Authentic Tantra®

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I've recently pursued formal practitioner training with the Institute of Authentic Tantra®, the only government-accredited school of Tantra in the world. Authentic Tantra® is a trauma-informed holistic healing modality designed to awaken, heal and integrate body, mind, spirit, and sex. Our methods are rooted in Tibetan Tantric Buddhist teachings that are designed to catalyze profound healing and transformation in every area of life.  Becoming an Authentic Tantra Practitioner® has been a profound experience that has completely woven together all areas of my unique background and education which I'm confident will benefit myself (and my clients) profoundly.

Sexologist

Certified by the American College of Sexologists

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Though Tantra is not all about sex; sex and sexuality do play a role in most forms of Tantra, and the Institute of Authentic Tantra takes this seriously. In my practitioner training, I received training that goes above and beyond the criteria for the American College of Sexologists, receiving both certifications at the completion of my Authentic Tantra® training. My approach to supporting my clients with sexuality is trauma informed, and I seek to be always up to date with the highest scientific and ethical standards in the field.

Note: When we work together, you can ask me any time to talk about how similar the unhealthy shadows of the worlds of fitness, spirituality, tantra, and neo-tantra are. There are significant negative effects these shadows have on our everyday lives; it is important to me to shed light on these shadows so that people seeking guidance in any of these areas of life can make informed choices and recognize red flags. This also means that I am always checking myself for these shadows and red flags. I am committed to always learning, always growing, and always supporting my clients to become the most whole, integrated versions of themselves, as I continue to commit to the same for myself.

What credenials do I have to be a holistic systms coach?
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