The Bert Hellinger methodology
What we call systemic visualisations is based on the work of the renowned European psychotherapist and author, Bert Hellinger. His approach for family constellations has grown rapidly in Europe over the last 20 years and is now gaining international attention.
Hellinger is an important founding father of the theory of family and organisational constellations. Considered by many to be Europe’s most innovative and provocative psychotherapist, we are very thankful for his research and honoured that he made it possible for us to facilitate constellations.
Hellinger acknowledges several important influences on his life and work: his parents, whose faith immunised him against accepting Hitler’s National Socialism; his 20 years as a priest, particularly as a missionary to the Zulu and his participation in interracial, ecumenical training in group dynamics led by the Anglican clergy.
Through Bert Hellinger’s years of observation and research in constellation work, he has noticed that in every system are three important principles to be respected. We still work from these principles and belief that these will help you to take steps in your personal development to become free from your systems so that you can live the life that you desire.
The Three Principles of Systemic Work
When relationships become difficult, we are often unable to pinpoint exactly where things went awry. In such cases, one of the following three basic systemic principles may have been overlooked:
- Everybody has a place in the system. You cannot exclude anybody, be it a family member, colleague, sports mate, or even a former colleague. You can treat members of a system differently but you cannot deny that they are a part of the system.
- In every system, there is a hierarchal order. Within a family system, your order is determined by generation and age. In an organisation, your order is determined by your position within the corporate hierarchy and also the amount of time you have been with the company.
- There needs to be a balance between give and take. If only one party puts effort in the system and others only profit from it, then there is imbalance and something within that system is bound to go awry.
Initially, these principles may appear relatively abstract. To understand these principles better, it could be helpful to take a relationship that is currently not working well for you in mind: for example, you do not speak with each other or you are angry with another person and examine whether one of the three principles are violated.
Systemic constellations: a powerful tool to analyse the situation
Systemic constellations are an important tool to help you to get to the core of your problem. Is is always led by a facilitator, who will determine who is involved through an interview. A one-on-one interview is advisable if you don’t like to discuss your personal issues with the group.
After the interview, you will use objects, or preferably other people, as representatives for the people involved in your issues. The representatives will speak and move only when invited by the facilitator; this is not a role-play.
You will then place a representative for yourself and for the other people involved, in the room. It is important to do this through feeling or intuition.
The way you unconsciously place the representatives will you provide you with information about the real problem behind the symptoms. Also the representatives will be asked how they experience the situation. The visualisation can make clear where things went wrong in the system (e.g. people that are not seen by others, an order that is not respected, or people that are carrying a burden for another). This insight will be an eye-opener and breakthrough to solve your issue permanently.
The facilitator can suggest that the representatives make movements or say something to each other. For example, by saying that you respect somebody for what he or she has done, a balance can be restored. This intervention is very powerful, far-reaching and will definitely change the way you respond to your issue.
Testimonial of Silin Gan, account director
Family Constellation has been a very important support for my life journey, as well as the pursuit of my success and happiness. Through this programme, I now have clarity about the struggles that I am facing in my life. It also releases me from past entanglements that had adversely affected the past outcomes of my life.
I love Hendrik’s sensitivity to the emotions of the individuals, and the undivided attention that he has for each of us. He taught us about the importance of finding the spaces that we need to heal spiritually. Most importantly, he is capable of uncovering and resolving the deeply hidden entanglement at our unconscious level, one that we have no access to, yet is so damaging to our results in our lives.
The Institute for Systemic Work takes deep interest in the individual’s well being; besides Hendrik, there is Dipa, who plays a crucial role in getting our bodies ready to allow us to reap the most from the session. Above all, she ensures the participants’ energies are taken care of during the programme. With her, I feel guarded though my space and energy are exposed.
Both Hendrik and Dipa made the Family Constellation experience complete for all of us.