Family Constellations in Scotland

“Even if it costs me my life” by Stephan Hausner is a delight to read. People who want to learn and integrate more about constellations into their practice often ask me for reading lists. I would recommend it unreservedly. It is set out as a series of story-like accounts of constellations, with descriptions of the moves and reactions of representatives and clients.

It describes what we might call ‘classic’ constellations, outlining the process step by step. And then it has the extra quality that comes from Stephan’s work as a homoeopath and cranio-sacral therapist. He shares valuable insights into the clients, he brings a wealth of experience and his particular knowledge about illness, health, attachment and bonding, respect for life and death and the repeating dynamics he has observed throughout his work with constellations.

Although the subtitle of the book is ‘Systemic constellations and serious illness‘ in my opinion it is definitely of more general interest and relevance. The dynamics and ‘orders’ of love, as described initially by Bert Hellinger are all there in the constellations that Stephan describes. Its a great way to learn about them by witnessing how they occur naturally, and with less of the feel of ‘here are the rules, this is how it works’. There’s always a danger with books and written material on constellation work, that those who are eager to learn take on what is written as if it were the truth, or another and better moral code. When we work phenomenologically and mindfully, we do our best to avoid this, and books like this one help to demonstrate that way of working, with precise detail and careful and compassionate attention to the body.

As my colleague Sheila said “ It is doesn’t shame us when we lend it to people, it does us proud!”

Stephan Hausner will be in Edinburgh in June 2012. If you would like to attend this unique workshop, please book here or contact me.

Traumatic experiences – in our lifetime or in previous generations – leave us fragmented in our brain, in our body, and in our soul. ‘Integrating’ these fragments is one of the keys to well-being. But how can we bring those pieces of ourselves together to feel whole?

The September study group will explore three fundamental questions:

• Why is integration important to our well-being?

• How can we better integrate these parts of ourselves?

• How do we make room for integrity in all parts of our lives?

Why is ‘integration’ key to our well-being?

In previous weekends, we have learnt about Dan Siegel’s work with mindfulness practice and the development of the brain. We will continue this by learning about his understanding of what integration means.

‘Mental health emerges from integration, the linkage of differentiated elements of a system. When integration is present, the system moves in the FACES flow of bring flexible, adaptive, coherent, energised and stable’ (Siegel 2010 The Mindful Therapist’)

We will explore, inquire into, and play with these words:

Flexible – looking at how unresolved trauma and shock makes us rigid, what needs to happen so that flexibility becomes an option?

Adaptive –How can we find out what can be changed and what cannot? And when something cannot be changed how do we adapt to it in the most creative way possible?

Coherent – looking at the stories or narrative of our life and putting the pieces together in a way that gives us space to breathe and space for the heart to heal. Seeking for our blind spots and daring to look into them –with compassion – will bring us into contact with a greater sense of coherence

Energised – where does the energy flow and where is it stuck? What kinds of movements enable flow?

Stable – how do we support ourselves and what sorts of actions create more stability within our bodies and within our systems (family, work etc)?

When we explore an issue from a systemic stance, we are aware of letting go of our usual way of thinking and intellectualising and seeking to ground ourselves in a different aspect of our being. Recent research suggests that this capacity is more located in the right side of the brain. What supports us to integrate the different functions of our brain in order to engage in this work?

Obviously this is far too much for one weekend, so we are going to take Integration as an overall theme, and within that play with and explore the concepts ideas that are coming up in the group.

How can we better integrate the fragments of ourselves?

Using exercises in small groups, some direct teaching, plenty of mindfulness practice, and of course using the constellations throughout.

Making room for integrity in other parts of our lives.

• Integrity is central to the constellation work as we work with issues which have such an enormous impact on well-being and ill-being

• Integrating our larger family systems and history: In family constellations, we recognise where our family system has been wounded and fragmented, and seek to integrate with awareness what and who is excluded or denied. This integration supports us in finding a place within our system that has more peace, stability and potential.

• Integrating other trainings & practices: How do we integrate knowledge and awareness from other trainings and practices? We all have very different backgrounds as practitioners and individuals. Constellation work is still developing and practitioners integrate this work according to their individual background and style. We will take space this weekend to attend to our sense of what we each want and need to integrate into this work.

Further Reading

Ian McGilchrist: The Master and His Emissary: The Divided Brain and the Making of the Western World

Dan Siegel: The Neurobiology Of We