Systemic Costallations
What are systemic constellations?
The constellating approach is a simple, brief and solutions-focused methodology that can be use to investigate and resolve difficult and seemingly intractable issues that seem resistant to change. This method can help to resolve challenges in which others are involved without necessitating the presence of those other individuals.
The Systemic constellations approach was developed by the German philosopher and psychotherapist Bert Hellinger and offers a unique and deep process of therapeutic exploration of the hidden dynamics that are at work within families and other systems. This method provides a three-dimensional, Systemic picture or ‘map’ of one’s life as it is at present. From this ‘map’ the work will evolve and a resolution will emerge. By the end of the process a simple and memorable picture of the dynamic is revealed and that allows the client to have a compassionate overview of the entire situation addressing personal, family, social, creative and organisational problems.
What can Systemic Constellations help with?
Systemic Constellations can help promote deep levels of resolutions with a wide range of issues including:
Family and relationship difficulties ( between partners, parents & children, divorce, abortion, infertility and adoption),
Negative or harmful relationship patterns,
Repetitive Patterns,
Violence and loss,
illness,
Ongoing emotional symptoms such as unhappiness, rage, depression or lack of motivation.
Persistent behavioral symptoms (such as drug/alcohol misuse, eating disorders, accident proneness and others)
Dissolving Barriers to Learning - Helping resolve Parenting and children’s learning & behavioural issues.
Inability to achieve what we want in life,
Stuckness in our lives and lack of purpose,
Problems with money or career,
Personal and professional success
What happens in a Constellation Workshop ?
A Constellation workshop provides an opportunity to explore your own issues in a safe, confidential environment.
In Constellations work a ‘client’ is referred to as the ‘issue holder’. Each workshop will offer the Issue Holders a chance to work while all other participants are invited to take part as 'representatives'.
First, the facilitator guides the issue holder to clarify your the issue. Then, using members of the group as representatives of the system, the issue holder will place them in relation to each other. Representatives will stand-in for key people in the client’s life such as family members, colleagues, partners, ex partners etc.and sometimes also as ‘abstract’ concepts such as an emotion, country of origin, religion or ‘destiny’.
By this process a living map or ‘constellation’ of ‘what is’ emerges – a map which is often different from our mental pictures, family myths or agreed stories – from this map the facilitator will observe the process in order to reveal any blockages, enabling client to move forward towards a resolution of their issue.
Witnessing and serving as a representative in other people’s constellations often touches us in a deep and healing way.
Workshop participants often report experiencing profound insights into their own lives, by simply witnessing the process, regardless of how they choose to take part, as Issue Holders, Representing or simply witnessing.
A constellation workshop or systemic coaching session can be very supportive and complementary to other ongoing psychotherapeutic, spiritual or personal development work, and offers insight and healing for our personal issues whilst shedding light on the family patterns and entanglements that influence them. This ‘new view’ of our life, which includes trans-generational influences, can help us to find our own place within all the groups to which we belong.
Constellations provide an opening for a positive life shift and presents ways for deep healing processes to occur.
Do I need to have any knowledge or experience of constellation work to attend a workshop?
No – absolutely not. Each group will almost certainly have some experienced participants and some absolute beginners. You may come to a workshop without any prior preparation, or even understanding, of the work. You will be guided through the day and by the end will feel as if you have been using this method for years.
Edna also offers One-to-one systemic coaching sessions in person or via Skype, for those who might prefer not to work in a group setting. This can be a very useful alternative to workshops and a powerful form of short-term therapy. Using a variety of media to explore the family dynamic. Effective change can be made in a small number of sessions.
Please contact Edna for further details.
Systemic Constellations can also be used in a business or organisational setting:
as a diagnostic tool that reveals what is out of order or alignment and needs attention,
or for staffing or departmental issues.
The methodology can also support the creative process and can assist with alignment to our own life purpose and relationship to the emergent future.
Edna Dumas is a London and West London based Systemic Constellations practitioner. Edna has trained in Family Constellations in Germany at the Hellinger Institute and in London at the Centre for Systemic Constellations. Edna has also trained for Organizational Systemic Coaching with the best pioneers in this area. Like: John Whittington, Caroline Ward, Edward Roland (https://www.wholepartnership.com/systemic-coaching-constellations/) and Sarah Rozenthuler .
Edna runs regular Family Constellation Workshops and Systemic Coaching for Leaders and teams in London.