8: Part Burden, Part Wound

In this eighth episode of Parts & Charts: The IFS and Astrology Podcast, Chelsea and KP explore:How wounds live in us not just as pain, but as pathways to presence, curiosity, and storytelling.[to watch the video version, head over to Substack or Youtube. For the audio versions, listen through your favorite podcast app]This episode dives into the deep end of woundedness. We talk about the IFS concept of burdens, how parts hold pain from the past, and what healing actually looks like (often visual, elemental, and slow). We also wander into Chiron’s domain in astrology, the “wounded healer,” and reflect on how our charts reveal both the tenderness and the tools we’ve been given to metabolize it.We bring in tarot, psychodrama, middle school shame, and how speaking up (even in a podcast) can feel like standing at the front of class with no notes. This one’s for the part of you that’s scared to say the wrong thing and the part that knows that woundedness can be alchemized, not erased.We also dream up workshops where Pluto gets played by a friend in a cape, talk about how burdens get released through elemental rituals, and share our own Chiron placements and the tender places they light up.“There’s no reward for being woundless. We’re not rushing to get anywhere.”Key Quotes:“What the wound is… is just a beautiful need.” — Chelsea, reframing pain in the language of compassion.“Chiron energy is ripe for exploration—because it asks us to love, not fix.” — KP, on astrology’s wounded healer.“The swords hold the wound in place. And you get to choose whether to pull them out.” — KP, interpreting the Three of Swords tarot card.“There’s a whole protocol for unburdening in IFS. It’s like soul-level somatic magic.” — Chelsea, on releasing burdens through elements.“Middle school logic is still alive in us. And it deserves respect.” — Chelsea, on exiled parts and internalized beliefs.Timestamps & Key Topics:00:00 – Welcome back + how to talk about wounds without it being a bummer02:00 – Tarot pulls: Three of Swords, Ace of Swords, and the Magician as wound wisdom06:00 – Acting, pretending, and the psychodrama of healing09:00 – What burdens mean in IFS and how they’re released15:00 – Do we all have wounds? What’s “normal”? And is healing ever done?20:00 – Exiles in IFS: the tender parts we bury and protect26:00 – Chiron in astrology: the wound, the gift, the alchemy33:00 – Protective parts in the chart? Chiron's planetary neighbors38:00 – Trauma bonding, skepticism, and why wounds don’t define your worth43:00 – Chiron transits + the “middle school energy” of re-wounding46:00 – Our middle school wounds + how they still show up today50:00 – Chiron in KP’s chart and what it means for art, value, and loveResources mentioned:* No Bad Parts by Dr. Richard Schwartz* The Internal Family Systems Institute: ifs-institute.com* Chiron mythology (search your Chiron placement + aspects for insight)* The Rehearsal by Nathan Fielder (HBO)* Tarot cards discussed: Three of Swords, Ace of Swords, The Magician* Narrative astrology & psychodrama groups (Google: “astrology drama circle”)or check out the Living Astrologies conference: https://livingastrologies.net/about Connect with Us:✨ Subscribe to Parts & Charts on Substack📸 Follow on IG: @PartsAndCharts💌 Send a note, question, or love letter via Substack🎧 Share this episode with someone who over-prepares before speaking and secretly loves the drama of tarotCredits:Music “Vape Juice Dave’s Bistro” composed by Scott Cary (Wild Western Avenue) for the feature film RINGOLEVIO (2020) directed by KP Kaszubowski - performed by Scott Cary, Max Wikoff, Else Albeck Gasparka, and Sarah LutherThe cover image is a collage by Chelsea Owens. Get full access to Parts & Charts at partsandcharts.substack.com/subscribe