There are many tools and strategies to help people become aware of the origin of their discomfort. Some more contrasted than others. Among the second type we find family constellations. A controversial method that causes both pleasure and rejection due to its lack of scientific evidence. Really, is it a useful technique? Or is it dangerous? There are opinions of all types.
From we want to provide you with information about What are family constellations and what are they for?.
What are family constellations
The family constellationsaccording to Bourquin (2013), are based on a perception that allows us to understand those behaviors which are difficult to explain based on the personal traits of the individual, but which can be explained and understood as a response to the existence of a disorder in your family.
In this technique, we work with the last four generations of a family, that is, up to the great-grandparents of the person who makes the constellation.
It was developed by philosopher and pedagogue Bert Hellinger with the aim of reorienting and healing growing relationships within the family.
How family constellations are made
In a constellation we see if the person is involved in the destiny of their ancestors. This aims to think, feel and even act like that family member.
They are usually done through weekend workshops and are usually done in groups, however, there is also an application for individual therapy. To start constellating, the patient must have a need that they want to resolve and that fits within the limits of the constellations.
The person, once he has explained the problem, will choose among the rest of the participants those people who will act as members of his family. Once chosen, she will place them at the distance and in the visual direction that she considers appropriate. For this reason they are called a constellation.
According to some theorists who use this method, it is at this point where the most striking phenomenon occurs. Those people who represented the family members of the constellated person, they begin to feel the emotions and feelings of the people they representdespite not knowing them.
After this, the therapist makes different movements with the intention of reestablishing order in the system, while suggesting different phrases that will help the subject realize the real problem so that they can generate a solution.
What are family constellations for?
The constellations aim that the person perceives its implications in his family so that in this way a solution can be provided to the problem you have raised. To do this, they are helped to place themselves in the right place within the system that makes up their family.
With the help of the phrases proposed by the therapist, the person will obtain an adequate balance within the system, thus achieving harmony in your life.
Are family constellations dangerous?
To answer this question we must start from the point that It is not a therapy with scientific evidence, that is, no scientific study has been carried out which can support its effectiveness. Therefore, any positive result of this therapy can be attributed to suggestion and empathy.
It has been observed that its theoretical explanation is the union of different pseudosciences such as , , hypnosis, etc.
Furthermore, to perform this technique, the person who performs the constellation does not require any specialization and, for this reason, is criticized and rejected by many professionals, since anyone can become a constellator.
From the point of view of psychologists, I have to say that none of us will use this technique because, if we did, we would find ourselves violating article 18 of our code of ethics, which says that Psychologists will not use means or procedures that are not sufficiently proven, within the limits of current scientific knowledge.
Effects of family constellations
According to those theorists adept at constellations, the achievements and positive effects of constellations.
- Resolve conflicts with your partner, parents, children and any other member of the family system who is within the four previous generations.
- Understanding and accepting the disease in its systemic origins as a first step to recovery.
- Balance family systems.
- Face the fear of death and separation.
- Clarify and differentiate feelings towards other people.
- Understand that actions always have consequences.
- Recover inner balance.
- Achieve the peace and happiness that our lives need.
However, there are also a large number of criticism for the effects they have about the people who see themselves constellated.
- It is a therapy that exposes people’s privacy to others.
- It is an authoritarian and inductive therapy.
- It falls into a determinism of an inescapable destiny.
- As stated above, it has no scientific validity.
- They are based on a mystical element which has no explanation.
This article is merely informative, at Psychology-Online we do not have the power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.
If you want to read more articles similar to What are family constellations and what are they for?we recommend that you enter our category.
Bibliography
- Alonso, Y. (2005). Bert Hellinguer’s family constellations: a psychotherapeutic procedure in search of identity. International journal of psychology and psychological therapy, 5(1), 85-96.
- Bourquin, P. (2013). Family constellations. Desclée de Brouwer.
- Gómez Gómez, F., & Pérez Doñoro, AM (2005). Research on the application of Bert Hellinger’s Family Constellations method to clinical supervision. Journal of Research in Psychology, 8(1), 29-50.
- Pacheco, BM (2008). What are family constellations? UARICHA, 10, 32-38.