Systemic & Family Constellations

Family Constellations and Systemic Constellations both stem from the same therapeutic approach pioneered by Bert Hellinger. The key difference is that while Family Constellations focuses specifically on familial relationships, Systemic Constellations is a broader application of this work, exploring not only family dynamics but also the larger systems in which a person is embedded, such as work, society, or any other group to which they belong.

In Family Constellations, the goal is to explore the intergenerational dynamics within a family. The focus is on how unconscious family loyalties, unresolved conflicts, and past traumas influence an individual's behavior, emotional life, and relationships. The therapy involves representing family members as figures in a physical space, often with people standing in for family members. This arrangement helps to visualize the hidden dynamics and allows the individual to gain clarity and healing.

• Key Concepts:
  • Orders of Love: These are the natural laws that govern family systems. When these orders are disrupted, it can create imbalance and suffering within the system.
  • Entanglements: When family members are emotionally or energetically entangled, it can affect the individual’s behavior and sense of self. This often involves unresolved grief, loyalty to the past, or unacknowledged events.
  • Healing: The aim is to restore balance within the family system by bringing awareness to these dynamics and creating new, healthier patterns of relating.

While Family Constellations is about family dynamics specifically, Systemic Constellations applies the same principles to a broader range of systems. These might include work environments, organizations, communities, or any other relational network. For example, in the context of work, systemic constellations might explore how a person’s relationship with authority figures, colleagues, or the organizational culture impacts their productivity, job satisfaction, or emotional well-being.

• Key Concepts:
  • Broader Systems: Systemic Constellations broaden the perspective, taking into account how individuals fit into larger societal or organizational frameworks.
  • Invisible Orders: Like in family systems, there are invisible orders in organizations or communities—unwritten rules and dynamics that shape the collective experience.
  • Systemic Loyalties: These may involve unconscious commitments to a group or organization that can limit personal growth or cause dysfunction.

Both Family and Systemic Constellations are grounded in the belief that hidden, unconscious dynamics within any system can create challenges, tensions, and unresolved conflicts. The constellations process helps individuals understand and shift these dynamics by placing representatives in a space and allowing them to observe how the system feels and reacts.

In essence, while Family Constellations focuses more specifically on family relationships, Systemic Constellationsopens up the therapeutic approach to a wider range of social systems. Both offer profound insights into the way our relationships with others—whether familial, organizational, or societal—shape our lives and well-being.