About Group Constellation Work

Developed by German psychotherapist Bert Hellinger, Family Constellation Therapy is a type of group therapy facilitated in a safe container held by a therapist with special training in the technique. In Family Constellation Therapy, the person participating or receiving the therapy selects other members of the group to serve as stand-ins or representatives for his or her actual family members. These people are placed within the circle by the client, beginning to form the constellation. The stand-ins are then asked to describe anything they are aware of or feeling in their bodies and in relation to the other representatives. This is not acting, this is a practice of presence. Of simply noticing what comes up, and reporting it to the group. This process typically leads to a greater sense of understanding and empathy as well as healing movements to acknowledge and release the trauma in the family field that lies at the source of the client's presenting issue.

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What Types of Issues Are Addressed Through Family Constellation Therapy?

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Family Constellation Therapy looks at the family as a system and the individual’s role in that system. This can lead to exploring family relationships from generations back and how those impact the present. Family systems frequently have unspoken rules or laws, and problems often occur when someone fails to follow these laws. These are the roots of the beliefs we have that may not work for us anymore, may not be healthy, and may not even be accurate. 

This type of therapy can be particularly helpful when dealing with depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. For these issues, people frequently talk about a genetic predisposition to these conditions or learned behaviors, that can carry on down through multiple generations. In Family Constellation Therapy, you may find that your current issues and behaviors have roots from previous generations that you hadn’t realized.

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Benefits of Family Constellation Therapy

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Family Constellation Therapy benefits the person receiving the therapy and the group members participating as representatives for the actual family members. The person receiving the therapy stands outside the circle and is able to observe dynamics and connections that he or she may not have considered before. The representatives are new to the particular situation-they don’t know the person’s family history and/or the particular situation being addressed, so they can bring unadulterated insights and give the person different perspectives to consider. The actual family members being portrayed aren’t there, so the person seeking the therapy is free from worrying about the possibility of hurting their feelings or suffering repercussions for sharing a family secret. The people serving as representatives benefit in a couple of key ways. They may recognize aspects of themselves and their family generational dynamics and may gain a greater understanding of their own situation or trauma. Acknowledgment is an important first step. In addition, being a representative in Family Constellation Therapy is a powerful way for us to be of service to the healing and wellness of our community members.