Announcement time!
* On September 5, 2025 at 1pm PT, Chelsea is leading a free live Q+A for anyone considering becoming a therapist. Let her save you precious time and money on this long (and worth it!) journey. REGISTER for the call here — the recording will be sent out for those not able to attend live.
* For those actively navigating all the details of applying to counseling grad programs: Chelsea Owens pulled together a deeeeeep dive into all the practical elements of this decision, for the price of a cute cafe lunch ($25) — follow this link: https://chelseawow.gumroad.com/l/bfbiau
* Do you also love making deep friendships through book-clubbing? We want to start a “Novels of Manners” Book Club, starting with Jane Austen’s Persuasion. Message us if you’re interested in joining a slow book club!
In this twelfth episode of Parts & Charts: The IFS and Astrology Podcast, Chelsea Owens and KP Kaszubowski lean into Virgo season’s back-to-school vibe. But specifically for those interested in joining the counseling profession.
This episode explores what it actually means to go back to school as an adult, whether that’s literal (therapy grad school) or symbolic (a new season, a new structure, a new initiation).
Chelsea shares her journey through therapy school and the realities of becoming a therapist—the long hours, the burnout, the breakthroughs, and the quiet joys that make it worth it. KP reflects on almost becoming a counselor herself, her curiosity about grief work, and how vocation shows up in astrology. Together, they tease apart the fantasy and reality of “school” in midlife: the excitement of new supplies, the terror of debt, and the soul-level satisfaction of being in a helping profession.
This one’s for the part of you that still loves syllabi and fresh planners, the part that wonders if it’s too late to pivot careers, and the part that’s secretly thrilled by the words “grad school application.”
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Key Quotes:
“It’s way overdue for me to read a Jane Austen.” — KP
“Most of therapy school is actually just doing your own work. The counseling comes later.” — Chelsea
“It’s an initiation. You go down to the underworld, you do your hours, you come out rebirthed.” — Chelsea
“You get to witness little windows into people’s souls. That feels indescribable.” — Chelsea
“There’s this undeniable richness and satisfaction to the job, which is not usually part of other jobs.” — KP
“Burnout is real, both during the 3,000 hours and later in private practice.” — Chelsea
“IFS really saved me from burnout. It keeps me engaged, it feels like an adventure in the soul every time.” — Chelsea
“If I’m really going to be in this for 30, 40, 50 years—how do I stay invested, healthy, able to give and receive?” — Chelsea
“Going through therapy school is really just excavating yourself—facing your own stuff so you can be solid for other people.” — Chelsea
Timestamps & Key Topics:
00:00 – Welcome back & why we love back-to-school season03:00 – Announcements: our Novels of Manners Book Club + upcoming Q&A07:00 – Therapy school as initiation: the long road to becoming a counselor15:00 – KP’s almost-career in counseling, grief work, and vocation in the chart20:00 – Why midlife is often the moment for a big career pivot27:00 – The financial + emotional costs of therapy school35:00 – Burnout, self-care, and staying in the work for decades42:00 – Convince me to become a therapist… now convince me not to50:00 – Freedom, balance, and art-making as a therapist in private practice58:00 – Wrap-up: what “back to school” means in Virgo season
Resources mentioned:
* Persuasion by Jane Austen (our first book club pick)
* IFS Institute: ifs-institute.com
* Info on therapy graduate programs + licensure paths — Chelsea made a mini course for $25 will all the info you need before you take the plunge: https://chelseawow.gumroad.com/l/bfbiau
We’ve officially entered eclipse season: from now until the end of September, the energy may feel a bit wobbly. Personally. Globally.
We’re aware of the forced famine on the Palestinian people in Gaza. There is so little we’re able to do right now, especially with most of the humanitarian aid being blocked by the IDF. But, World Central Kitchen has been able to serve bread and water still, despite the blockages. In times of destabilization, eclipse season or not, one thing we can do is give generously to others experiencing displacement and persecution.
For all of September, I (KP) am offering free birth chart readings to anyone who donates $50+ to World Central Kitchen.
Shoot me a DM with a screenshot of your donation receipt and I’ll share a direct booking link.
