Family Constellations
“The greater soul moves in only one direction and that is to bring into union that which has been made separate .”
Bert Hellinger
What is Family Constellations?
Developed in the mid 1990’s by Bert Hellinger, a German psychotherapist, Family Constellations is a healing modality, that can be used to address any presenting issue in a client’s life. Family Constellations involves the review of a client’s family system, bringing to light hidden family dynamics, repeating generational patterns and entanglements. It is a restorative process, which reconnects and heals disruptions within a family system.
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Disruptions can be anything from war, racism, addictions, physical or emotional trauma, forgotten or missing children, or any event or occurrence that has negatively impacted a family. Disruptions that are not acknowledged and healed can cause rifts to appear, creating issues within a family system such as illness, disconnection, addiction, negative beliefs, behaviours and emotions.
Such issues or burdens are normally passed down at an unconscious level from one generation to another.
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The work done in Family Constellations helps uncover disruptions, acknowledges they have occurred and unburdens younger generations by allowing them to pass back to prior generations, baggage carried which doesn’t belong to them.
By undergoing this process, order can be restored to the client’s family system, which in turn can bring about positive shifts in the client’s life and members of their family.
What can Family Constellations help with?
Family Constellations can help a client address anything that is adversely affecting their life and preventing them from being the best version of themselves.
A Family Constellation session can typically help with, but not limited to, the following:
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Depression
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Anxiety
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Negative relationship patterns
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Parent-child relationship issues
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Divorce or separation
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Addictions
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Illness
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Financial issues
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Business issues
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Significant trauma or loss
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Negative behaviours
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Grief and sadness
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Adoption
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Phobias
What does a Family Constellation involve?
I currently offer one-on-one sessions, either in person from my home studio or online via Zoom. Personally, I have found both methods to be equally successful and effective!
The initial session which lasts 150 minutes, involves a 60 minute pre-talk in which the client's intention for the session and family history is discussed. The remaining 90 minutes is devoted to the Family Constellation session itself.
Subsequent sessions run for only 90 minutes. This involves a 15 minute pre-talk, with the remaining 75 minutes used for the Family Constellation session.
In-person, I use figurines or footprints referred to as ‘representatives’, to represent key elements relating to what the client wants to work on. During Zoom sessions an online application is used, which replicates the same dynamics as experienced in a face-to-face session.
No matter what method is used, ‘representatives’ are moved around what is referred to as ‘The Knowing Field’, with feelings and emotions explored, rather than connecting with the mind and thoughts.
During this process, we acknowledge, separate and reconnect key elements such as people, situations, and events within the family system, before moving forward to achieve healing. The session concludes with a new family image being presented to the client, which illustrates family order being achieved and the client being able to move forward unburdened into their future.
Approximately 1 week after your Family Constellation session, there will be an opportunity to up-pack and discuss session insights during a 30 minute Zoom call.
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