Family constellation

Something I have become extremely passionate about over the past few years is family constellations, a group therapy process that provides insight into our family system and relationship dynamics and how they impact our physical, emotional, mental, intuitive, and spiritual self.  This work was developed by a German psychologist Bert Hellinger who spent 20 years as a missionary with the South African Zulu tribe where he pulled from traditional African ways and merged them with his work in phenomenological orientation of group dynamics, psychoanalysis, body work, and Gestalt therapy. 

The result is a powerful tool that allows for the unraveling of ancestral trauma that impacts our everyday lives. So many individuals unconsciously take on destructive family patterns (including illness, addiction, abuse, mental or emotional issues, etc.) as a way of “belonging” in their families. Children will sacrifice their own health and well-being to ease the suffering of their parents, acting out of a deep love. Bert Hellinger describes the orders of love that must be in harmony for a health family system. They include the right to belong, the correct social order, and the balance of give and take in relationships. When these are restored within the constellation process deep healing can take place within the individual.

            I was first exposed to this work during my medical residency with Dr. Dietrich Klinghardt who had the fortune of studying and learning the technique directly from Bert Hellinger. I spent 4 years working alongside Dr. Klinghardt and being immersed in this powerful healing modality. That lead me to becoming a certified family constellation facilitator with the Human Systems Institute so that I could bring this life transforming work to my patients. Through my work with patients with complex, chronic illness it became apparent that the trauma and suffering of so many has roots in family systems and ancestral suffering.

            Family constellations can be done one-on-one in person or via telemedicine or as a group process. It is not necessary for the family of the individual receiving the work to be there, and sometimes it is preferred that they are not! Overall, the work of family constellations allows for profound shifts in our family and relationship dynamics that can help to heal deep-seated trauma that is impacting our lives today.