08/16/2024
WHAT IS A FAMILY CONSTELLATION?
Family constellations help to shed light on how we are connected to our ancestors. The goal of this brief therapy is to restore order in the family system and allow each member to have their rightful place and assume their responsibilities. It then becomes easier to free ourselves from what we have taken upon ourselves, out of loyalty, and that does not belong to us. This allows us to live our lives with integrity.
We can work as much on our family of origin as on our constructed family.
The series Le chemin de l’olivier, although fictionalized, highlights this unique method. It provides an overview of the group work that can be done with family constellations.
To learn more about the foundations of this method, watch the mini-workshop “Family constellations. What are they? Who are they for?” on the Institut des Carrefours de vie website.
WHY DO A FAMILY CONSTELLATION? Here are some of the life challenges that lead us to make a constellation:
Constantly falling back into the same situations
Carrying too much weight
Feeling insecure, in a state of almost constant stress
Having physical health challenges
Experiencing challenges in one's sexuality
Having difficulty welcoming emotions or a particular emotion
Feeling hypersensitive or hyper-reactive for no logical reason
Feeling hatred, contempt, anger towards men and/or women
Feeling impacted by a traumatic situation experienced
Experiencing difficulty feeling joy
Having mild cognitive problems (e.g. lack of concentration, occasional memory loss, etc.)
Feeling like you are not seen or heard
Feeling like you do not have the right to succeed
Having difficulty receiving (attention, love, gifts, money, etc.)
Feeling excessively responsible for everyone or certain people
Being very attracted to death, wish to die
Etc.
WHAT PERSONAL GOALS CAN WE WORK ON?
We can work on any personal, professional, social goal that involves members of the system.
Here are some examples of possible goals:
I am safe.
I am connected to my inner child.
I am in perfect health (physical, cognitive, emotional, mental and energetic).
I take my rightful place on earth and in my clan.
I am free to Be.
I exist fully.
I feel united and at peace with the masculine and the feminine.
I welcome emotions and their messages.
I am healed from the wound of… (rejection, abandonment, humiliation, betrayal, injustice).
I find myself following a… (sexual abuse, trauma).
I choose myself.
I am at inner peace with my family (or a particular person).
I am at inner peace with my ex-romantic partners.
I am fulfilled in a healthy romantic relationship.
I communicate freely and easily.
I recognize and dialogue with my inner characters (e.g. saboteur, savior, victim, executioner, witch, etc.).
I welcome life as it is.
I fully realize myself professionally and/or personally.
I welcome abundance, in all its forms.
I am whole and connected to myself and to something greater than myself.
I have a taste for life and I say YES to LIFE.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS THAT THE CONSTELLATION BRINGS?
There are several and they vary depending on the individual. Here are some examples:
Update the dynamics and imbalances of the clan
Reveal the strong bonds that unite the members of a system and the place of each
Reconcile with one's clan and family history over several generations
Understand more the suffering and dysfunctional dynamics experienced in one's family
Free oneself from toxic loyalties
Accept oneself more with one's history, strengths and limitations
Develop a different perspective from the "executioners" and the "victims"
Welcome the life that flows within oneself thanks to all one's ancestors
Say YES to life, as it is
CAN EVERYONE DO IT?
This approach is beneficial for any adult who wants to take charge of their life. However, it is contraindicated to do this work in these contexts:
Pregnancy in progress
Active psychotic phase or psychological instability
Active drug intoxication
HOW DOES A CONSTELLATION WORK?
For group family constellation days, you can choose to:
Make your constellation: work on a personal goal with the group. There are usually 4 constellations in a day. Yours will take about 1h15. Investment: $180.
Be a representative: attend the day and be available to play a role in the family staging of the person being constellated. Each representation experienced offers us opportunities for growth. If you are called to be a representative, it is because there is something in you