What Family Constellation Therapy Is and How It Works

Family constellation is a type of therapy that gets to the root cause of problems we're experiencing in our lives.

It helps us to identify and resolve negative feelings that might have been passed down from one generation to another.

Family constellation is based on the idea that problems sift down through generations to cause stress in the here and now. Family constellation exercises help us understand how family dynamics caused our problems.

What is Family Constellation?

Family constellation work is a type of psychotherapy that uses your family members as characters in a play.

This method was developed by Bert Hellinger, a German therapist who wanted to help people gain insight into their problems and overcome them by using the past as inspiration for present change.

How Does Family Constellation Work?

Family constellations are conducted in a workshop setting. The "seeker" stands in the centre, surrounded by other individuals who represent members of his or her family.

A facilitator chooses these representatives and places them into position as members of the individual's family, also choosing one person to take the place of the seeker in order to complete the family dynamic.

The use of other individuals to represent the family is believed to illuminate disharmony within the family, and those standing in as members of the family are believed to feel emotions felt by their counterparts.

Hellinger calls this sense of connectedness that's felt telepathically by members of the group a "morphogenic field."

Although the participants in the process rarely speak, it is said that all who participate have a sense of knowing. The seeker watches from outside the group to gain new perspective on the problem. None of the members knows the seeker or is aware of his or her issues, but they often report an awareness of specific emotions and feelings related to his or her situation.

The facilitator may ask members to explain what they are feeling, specifically in relation to other members of the family. This sheds light on certain emotions and relational aspects that can be clearly connected to this person's issue.

Is Family Constellation Therapy for Me?

Family Constellation Therapy is for people who are willing to work on their relationships.

Family Constellation Therapy is also beneficial for people who have:

Issues with family members that they would like resolved or understand better.

Issues with themselves (such as anxiety) that might be affecting some aspect of their life (for example relationships).

What Family Constellation Helps With

It can help with everything from improving relationships between parents and children or siblings, helping people find new ways of communicating when they're struggling with their emotions.

Family Constellation Therapy is a powerful tool that can help you and your loved ones heal from past wounds and improve the current relationship.

It's a safe and non-judgmental way to explore family dynamics and understand how they shape your identity.

It also gives you an opportunity to learn new ways of communicating with each other in order to foster deeper understanding, empathy and trust.

The therapist will guide you through these sessions, but ultimately it's up to you how much time you spend learning about yourself and how you respond to situations that arise.

This approach allows us all as individuals within families or groups have our own unique experiences while still benefiting from being part of something bigger than ourselves.