Family and Systemic Constellations (from the German Aufstellung) is an experiential therapeutic approach developed by psychologist Bert Hellinger and now recognised globally as a systemic modality.
It explores a situation as a relational map, making visible patterns of belonging, loyalty, placement, and unresolved experience that can move through generations. The modality is rooted in systemic psychotherapy and informed by cross-cultural understandings of family and community as interconnected.
Be it in group or 1:1, the client brings a question or theme, and the system is explored experientially using people or objects to represent aspects of the issue or system. Through guided placement and observation, underlying dynamics become visible. This may include patterns that are held unconsciously within family systems or relational fields.
What often emerges is not a “story” in the usual sense, but a felt sense of what is out of balance and what may need to be seen or acknowledged. What has been unconsciously carried or “coded” within the system can begin to shift through awareness and a flow reinstated.
Constellations can be used to explore a wide range of life themes, including:
- Grief and loss
- Relationship and family issues, including divorce, children, sibling, or parent dynamics
- Parenting challenges and intergenerational patterns
- Separation and attachment patterns
- Financial or business challenges
- Workplace dynamics and leadership questions
- Feeling unable to thrive in life or experiencing a sense of being stuck
- Repetitive patterns in work, money, or creative life
- Addictive patterns or compulsive behaviours
- Mental health challenges and emotional distress
- Health-related symptoms or embodied stress patterns
- Fertility challenges or postnatal experiences
- Feelings that are difficult to explain or move past
- Life transitions where clarity, grounding, or direction is needed
- Exploring your relationship with yourself and your sense of identity
In 2026, with a growing body of neuroscience and clinical research, this work has growing empirical evidence for measurable effects of stress, trauma, and relational experience across both individual and family systems.
Within this context, constellations offer an experiential process that can create profound shifts, where other approaches may not have helped. For many people, this work becomes a turning point in how they understand their life, their patterns, and their capacity to step into a new chapter rich with possibilities to thrive.