The Parts of Us That Long: An IFS Exploration of Longing and Heartache with Susan Poznyansky

That Wellness Podcast with Natalie Deering: Internal Family Systems with a Twist

Longing and heartache—two deeply human experiences that touch us all. In this conversation with Susan Poznyansky, LICSW (they/them), founder of Heart of Caldera (HOC), we explore the tender terrain of what it means to long, ache, and hold space for the parts of us that carry these emotions.

Susan and I share a love for lakes—their stillness, their depth—and reflect on the parts of us that feel more cautious around the vastness of the ocean. From this imagery, we dive into the three major themes of longing and heartache:

🌿 Longing for connection – the deep yearning to be seen and held.
🌿 Longing for choices not made – the what-ifs, the parallel paths that remain unexplored.
🌿 Grief for what we have had but no longer hold – the ache of change, transition, and loss.

Throughout our conversation, we bring an Internal Family Systems (IFS) lens to longing and heartache, exploring:
🌀 The parts of us connected to longing—how they show up and what they need.
🌀 Polarizations within our system—how internal conflicts influence the way we experience longing and heartache.
🌀 Ways to be with longing rather than trying to fix, numb, or push it away.

This episode is an invitation to sit with your longing, honor your heartache, and listen to the wisdom within both. Whether you resonate with deep-seated yearning, nostalgia, or grief, you are not alone in these experiences.

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About Susan

Susan Poznyansky is a licensed clinical social worker and the founder of Heart of Caldera (HOC), a social enterprise dedicated to holding space for individuals as they cultivate self-compassion and personal courage on their journey to living fully and authentically. Through HOC, Susan co-guides with people on their unique paths to wholeness in this precious life experience.

Identifying as non-binary, queer, neurodivergent (ADHD), and a person living with a chronic illness, Susan brings a deeply personal and compassionate approach to their work.

Originally from Brooklyn, NY, and the first generation of their family born in the U.S. to Ukrainian Jewish immigrants, Susan's love for nature was nurtured during summers spent in the Borscht Belt. Now residing on the breathtaking Olympic Peninsula, the ancestral land of the Skokomish people, Susan enjoys fishing, writing, swimming, hiking, mushroom foraging, watching Marvel movies, hammocking, and indulging in their favorite hobby: hurkle-durkling (a cozy state of lounging).

Susan is also a proud member of Jewish Voice for Peace and continues to create spaces for reflection, healing, and transformation.

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Connect with Susan & Heart of Caldera

🌍 Website: ifswellness.com
📷 Instagram: @heart_of_caldera_ifs
📘 Facebook: Heart of Caldera IFS

💫 Explore Susan’s work, retreats, and offerings at Heart of Caldera—a space for deep healing, connection, and self-discovery.

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Want to work with Natalie? Contact her below

Website: https://www.ndwellnessservices.com/

Contact: https://www.ndwellnessservices.com/contact

Instagram: @nataliedeering

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