FACILITATING THE (CONSTELLATION) FACILITATOR

Since 1994 constellation work has captured the attention of countless people all over the world whose desire for effective approaches to healing work has focused their interest on this approach. That also implied a particular attitude. The originator of constellation work, Bert Hellinger, generously invited people to look into the abundance of issues that could be understood through a constellational representative setup.

Although the constellation approach skyrocketed within a few years worldwide, skeptics, critics, and maltreated clients took to the stage and initiated strong opposition against its application and the originator. Over the years, long-standing facilitators witnessed with surprise the different forms, approaches, conclusions, and claims created by facilitators who applied this promising work. However, it could be witnessed how attitudes, conclusions, and claims made in the application of this work paid a severe disservice to the validity and credibility of constellation work.

We are seeing this development with concern and regret as both Jonathan and Johannes have been using constellation work for almost three decades with dedication. We have embedded the work in our psychotherapeutic and counseling practice. This is why Jonathan initiated this workshop to help us all better understand the role, attitude, requirements, skills, as well as the intersubjective self-referencing of the facilitator as a central participant in the process of facilitation.

In this workshop, we will not only critically reflect on the concepts and practices of systemic constellation work, we will also, in particular, focus on the role and effect of the facilitator, and the ensuing consequences for the client. Since this emphasis on the qualities of the facilitator applies to other modalities, and to life in general, participants in this workshop do not need to be constellations facilitators.

Johannes will work with the participants’ processes using his integrative view and practice. As a seasoned facilitator who has been setting up constellations extensively since 1994, Johannes has integrated approaches from body-based trauma work, principles of craniosacral biodynamics, experiences with pre- and perinatal psychology, constructivist systemic work, interpersonal neurobiology, and mindfulness practice to name only a few.

Johannes’ slow-motion constellations and his focus on inner dynamics rather than family entanglements opens constellation work to a wide range of applications. His integration of conception issues, intrauterine life and birth dynamics, as well as bonding and attachment styles, enables him to work in the non-verbal domain of human development facilitating complex trauma healing. Focusing on self-regulation, he challenges our view on independence and autonomy. In his work, a space of stillness and silent participation opens and invites deeply felt contact and connection that profoundly affects our being-nature. Witnessing this work is entering a space of true transformative intimacy.

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