Family Constellations is a modality that can reveal the hidden dynamics of an intimate system; the entanglements often with roots in the past, that continue to influence and have an impact on those in the present generation. This way of working allows us to see how we are bound to others in the system by deep bonds of loyalty.
An interruption in the flow of energy in a family system may be the result of past traumas, early deaths or difficult, unacknowledged fates; individuals may be caught in powerful, hidden forces, or inherited patterns of behaviours. These entanglements may be passed down through several generations. The consequences for family members in the present generation can be manifested in a person’s life in many forms: as depression, body pain, addictions or illness.
The work was originally done in a workshop setting, but may also be done in an individual setting. It began with attention on the individual within the family, but over the years there have developed many other areas of application: organisational constellations used in the business and corporate world; organisational constellations within family-run businesses; political constellations; structural constellations and constellations focussing specifically on illness and addiction, and many other areas.
The method is primarily strengthening for the client and solution oriented. It opens up the way for the client to re-connect with their family of origin and allow the energy, or in Hellinger’s words, the love to flow. The family energy / love that is released becomes the main resource for the client. And with that an experiential understanding of the connectedness and interconnectedness of all who belong in the family group.