Family Constellation therapy or better said Family Constellation work (as it is properly named) is a therapeutic process that was developed in the second half of the 20st century, by a man named Bert Hellinger.

Today Hellinger is known as the father of phenomenological psychotherapy. Phenomenological psychotherapy is an approach that was developed out of observation of phenomena, things that occur on their own without any human doing. Beginning in the 1930s, several therapists, including social worker Virginia Satyr and psychiatrist Jakob Moreno, started seeing the individual client in the context of a family system rather than as an isolated person. Out of their work, the systemic approach to psychotherapy developed.

Hellinger fell in love with this systemic approach, and by working with it extensively, he began observing certain recurring, age-old, hidden “Orders of Love” that operate in the depths of family organisms, which became the spine of the Family Constellation work. (We will discuss these orders next week in depth.)

I was drawn to this work early in my training as a psychotherapist. Most of the modalities I was learning seemed to have some inherent possibility of client manipulation; they all seemed to leave room for interpretation by the therapist, which meant that the client didn’t necessarily get the truth. I was only interested in finding modalities that worked with truth rather than with the opinion of the therapist. Family Constellation work, if it is done right, is the only modality that is waterproof against the therapist’s conscious or unconscious manipulative influences.

Clients, when working with a therapist, are in an extremely vulnerable position. They come to the therapist placing their lives somewhat in their hands. Working phenomenally rules out any power I have over my client. Working phenomenally means that you work with what is shown by the process itself, visible to any outside bystander and not just to the therapist. This approach completely shifts the therapist/client dynamic to that of equals, observing together an unfolding process.

Family Constellation work shows this to anyone who watches. I promised you in the title of this article that I would answer the questions: What is Family Constellation therapy?

Traditionally, Family Constellations were only done in group settings. Today there are many versions of the original process, as almost every facilitator has added his or her wisdom and additional background to it. It can be done one-on-one and even over the phone. I have developed my own way of working with single clients with
Constellations called “Soul Motions.” I have seen group Constellations that were very effective and some that were ineffective. I have also seen one-on-one Constellations that were very effective and some that were not. It all depends on the skill level of the facilitator and the readiness of the client to do the work.

I will describe the process from a group setting perspective. The only disadvantage that people sometimes see in group work is that they have to become “naked” in front of others which can feel uncomfortable. From a therapeutic perspective, allowing yourself to become vulnerable in front of other human beings can be healing in and of itself, but people should still have the choice, and I do respect personal preferences.

When done in a group, this is what a Constellation looks like. Let’s say it is your Constellation.

To begin, you and the facilitator, the one who is leading the Constellation, would have a conversation in private before the group actually meets. During that conversation, the facilitator asks you to relate what your issues or blocks are.

He or she also asks you if there were any tragedies, early deaths, unborn children, acts of crime, etc. in your family that you know of. Not just in your immediate family but as far back as you can remember. The facilitator is not so much interested in hearing all the stories of personal drama that are going on between family members, but only true facts such as your father’s mother died when he was two or your grandfather was killed in the war. Based on the information the facilitator receives from you and based on the Orders of Love, the facilitator will have a sense of which people it would be beneficial to have represented in your Constellation .

Generally, the work is done with only one side of the family at a time. For example, I wouldn’t work with your father’s side of the family at the same time as with your mother’s side, or, if you are married, your side and your husband’s.

There are several forms a Constellation can take. Some Constellations involve your family members, some might involve parts of yourself, others involve greater universal concepts like you and God or you and life. Still others might involve you alone but at different times in your life. And there are several other forms that I am not mentioning here. The most traditional forms, and in my opinion the most profound ones, especially when you are first starting, are the classical Family Constellations.

From what I have seen and experienced, the family is our root, our base. After we have done some groundwork, we can expand and experiment and gain insight into other aspects of ourselves.

Let’s say the issue you want to work on is healing your broken heart. Let’s just assume for example’s sake that I am your facilitator, and in our private conversation you told me that there are no tragedies on your mother’s side, but your father’s mother died when your father was four years old. I don’t know the reasons why, nor do I want to know why, unlike in other therapy modalities.
The other group participants don’t know anything about you. They only know what you state your issue is. They know that you want to work on healing your broken heart.

This article is continued in “Part Two: What is Family Constellation Therapy?”

Author's Bio: 

Carolin Hauser has been involved in the personal healing field for more than 15 years. She holds a degree in Naturopathic Medicine from Germany and is a Humanistic Psychotherapist and Family Constellation facilitator.
Carolin has the unique ability to hold the space for others, so that tremendous change and integration can occur. Beginning at the age of 11, Carolin endured more than 12 years of immense "soul pain," which manifested in eating disorders, addictive behavior, co-dependent relationships, and depression. Today, she knows that most of this pain was caused by the childhood sexual abuse she suffered.

After many short and unfulfilling relationships, and an almost destroyed marriage and family, Carolin needed to find a way to heal her own broken heart. This she did. Today she has reconciled her relationship with her husband and parents, and is teaching women all over the world how to release their trauma and create their "dream life" and relationships.

Carolin lives in beautiful Santa Barbara, California, with her two wonderful children. She travels around the world, teaching and spreading the message of hope that an absolutely fulfilling life for trauma survivors is possible.