Family Constellations

Family Constellations can expose the hidden dynamics within families that often are behind the problems and misfortunes we experience in our lives. The early death of a parent or sibling, the exclusion of a family member, violence done by or to a family member, and other events can lead to unconscious entanglements that disturb our lives and relationships and the lives of others in our families, often with severe consequences. This experiential workshop can help bring these hidden loyalties to light so that they can be resolved and love can begin to flow in a more balanced and healthy family system.

At any point in a family system a disconnection or separation creates an energy blockage that does not allow the energy to flow freely from one generation to the next. The family constellation not only allows the disconnection to become visible, but also it is a vehicle through which the reconnection of the family members can take place. Specific words or phrases and certain movements allow the energy to flow. When it does so, everyone in the room can experience the release of the tension that became apparent in the family constellation.

The person seeking answers or solutions to their problem/issue chooses representatives for his/her family members from those present in the group. Then he/she "sets them up" in relationship to one another in the center of the working space or circle. From this first glimpse into the family system, we can often see a disconnection between the family members that need to be reconnected.

Founder of Family Constellations

Bert Hellinger is considered to be one of the most innovative and influential therapists in the world today. He has synthesized years of training and experience with many modalities into the approach he developed and called Family Constellations. He pioneered a way of disentangling the current members of a family from the unresolved issues of previous generations, so that love can flow from one generation to the next.

The major influences in his life included first and foremost, his parents, whose Catholic faith shielded him from the distortions of National Socialism. At 17 years old he was drafted into the German army and experienced combat, capture and imprisonment as a prisoner of war of the Allies.

At age 20 he became a Jesuit priest, spending 16 of his 25 years in the priesthood as the headmaster of a missionary school for the Zulu in South Africa. During his time in South Africa, he was exposed to the interracial ecumenical training in group dynamics led by the Anglican ministry. Their approach to dialogue, phenomenology and individual experience influenced his later work. After leaving the religious order amicably, he pursued training in psychoanalysis, Gestalt Therapy and Neuro-Linguistic Programming. He trained with Arthur Janov, Virginia Satir and Milton Erickson. Extrapolating various aspects of all his major influences, Bert has created the Family Constellation approach to healing the family field. Through keen observation, he saw certain patterns emerge that he called "The Orders of Love". His work is continually evolving with the recent unfoldment of "Movements of the Spirit" and "Movements of the Spirit-Minds."

Family Constellation Workshop

In this workshop, the client is asked to present a particular issue or problem they want to address. It could be a family problem, an illness, trouble at work, issue with your business, feeling you just cannot shake regarding your life, etc. Constellations bring hidden dynamics to light connected to any issue that has energy to support a constellation. So the issue has to be focused and have weight if that makes sense. The energies of the constellation can help heal patterns that ripple through existing family members and those yet to come.

Other workshop participants, who do not know the client, are selected as representatives. The representatives then begin to experience the thoughts and feelings of actual members of the clients' system. The facilitator works with the representatives to bring the hidden dynamics to light and to help restore balance, respect, dignity, and love between all members of the clients system. Everyone attending the workshop is able to observe and feel the effect of the entanglements and the freedom that results from their resolution.

Workshop Date	Time	Location	Fee
Sat 8 July 2017 [Limited to 10 people]	1pm - 5pm	Bikram Yoga York 223 Pauline Drive York PA 17402	$75

Not all participants are guaranteed to have a constellation.

Attendees observe and are representatives, thereby providing insight into their own families.

Dress comfortably for ease of movement. Be prepared to remove shoes in yoga studio.

Registration: Send Kathy an email requesting a seat in a workshop. An invoice will be emailed to you. You may also pay cash/check prior to the workshop. Once payment is received, your space is guaranteed.