Family constellations: what is it and who is it for?

A family constellation is a powerful way of making patterns in your family or your relationships visible, and of healing them. But what exactly happens during a constellation, how does it work, and who is it meant for?

Worth knowing in advance: our constellation evenings are held in Dutch, because the work depends on the words spoken in the room. Our psilocybin ceremonies are the part we guide in English.

In a family constellation your system, for example the family you grew up in, is set out in space using other participants as representatives. The thinking behind it is that we do not stand apart from our family system: unconscious dynamics, entanglements and loyalties from previous generations can carry on working in your present life without your being aware of it.

By making those dynamics visible, room opens up for insight and healing.

With a facilitator you choose representatives for family members or for themes. You place them intuitively in the room. What is striking is that representatives often start to feel or experience something that fits the person they stand for, even though they do not know the situation. Through their position and what they experience, insight arises into what is at play. Often a healing movement follows, a sentence spoken aloud or a new place, which brings calm and room into the system.

People find family constellations valuable with recurring patterns in relationships, unexplained emotions, grief, guilt, or the feeling of being stuck somewhere without knowing why. If you notice you are repeating certain dynamics from your childhood, a constellation can also be clarifying.

A constellation can move you and shake emotions loose, including when you only look on or stand in as a representative for someone else. Many participants describe a feeling of relief, understanding or reconciliation. You do not have to grasp everything straight away; the working of it often continues in the days afterwards.

Family constellations are suitable for anyone looking for deeper insight into themselves and their background. You need no experience, and you decide yourself how much you share.

Our upcoming dates are on the family constellations page (in Dutch) and in the calendar.

Read also:

• EMDR, hypnotherapy or NLP: which therapy suits you?
• What to expect from a psilocybin ceremony