FAMILY CONSTELLATION
Family Constellation is
a powerful method to help you recognize difficult entanglements
both in your family of origin as well as in your present family
or relationship. Solution-oriented interventions
bring understanding, which is followed by a deep relaxation
that allows love to flow again between members of the family
system.
Systemic Family Constellation Work
was first developed by the German therapist Bert Hellinger.
In this approach, we consider the individual as part of a
greater whole – a family system – rather than
as a separate entity. His individual behavior, feelings and
attitudes have to be understood in the context of this larger
group. As in any other system, unspoken laws operating
in the family guide behavior that we, as family
members, are largely unaware of. Suffering usually arises
in a family member when one or more members of the system
unconsciously violate these archaic laws. They do this unknowingly,
not out of rebelliousness as one might expect, but out of
love – a 'blind' love.
Traditional therapy modalities tend to focus
on symptoms as being the problem and then attempt to treat
those symptoms. One of the benefits of Constellation work
is that it provides a broader context for understanding symptoms
as related to events that happened in the family and/or community
of fate. As a result, possibilities for alleviation are also
found in this broader context so that people can begin not
only to experience a lessoning of symptoms but a movement
toward abundance.
The way we bring the hidden family dynamics
to light is to have the client use the help of other group
participants to create a constellation of his or her family.
The participants representing members of that person's family
are positioned in the room in relation to each other according
to the client's feeling in that moment. In this way, we create
a living model of their original (or present) family.
What we have found is that the feelings and thoughts of the
people representing family members are very similar to those
of the actual family members.
This is usually carried out with a group
of people, but it also works in individual sessions where
cushions or other symbols can be used to represent the positions
of family members.
This work uniquely uncovers any destructive
family dynamic that may be lingering beneath the surface.
But that is not all it does. When we use the responses of
those standing in for family members, we find that the relations
between members of the family can be modified to establish
a new, more natural and healing balance for the family
members.
This shift can be life-altering and enduring
once people begin to connect with the essential commitment
that allowed ancestors and their descendants to carry life
force forward. I see the client who stands with me –
no matter his or her circumstances – as being the clear
and unequivocal manifestation of the family's life force.
Once a person is in contact with being carried by –
and carrying – life force (love), he or she can allow
the deadening aspects of negative dynamics fall away.
In this session, we will look at some of
the ways we may be blindly connected to the systemic events
in our family or community of fate. Once revealed, these connections
can be brought into the light so that we may be freer to live
in present time without the veil of the past obscuring our
view. This change affects not only our own lives, but those
of our children, of generations to come.
Workshop Structure
Group energy is needed to support the process
facilitated by the therapist. She helps the client to specify
and clarify the goal to be attained or the problem to be addressed.
The group consists of 10-15 persons who can
each in turn, set up his/her constellation or simply be chosen
as a representative of a family member or be a supportive
on-looker. All group participants will benefit from it, whatever
role they play.
Workshops can take place, evenings, a whole
day or during a weekend depending on how many people want
to work on their family constellation.
Dates in
the calendar... |
