Frequently Asked Questions

What are Family Constellations and how do they work?
Family Constellations are different from star constellations. Think of the word constellations as a configuration.

They are a very powerful solution-focused process that reveal unconscious entanglements that we have with our family of origin which are affecting us today. Once these hidden dynamics are brought to our conscious awareness, they are shifted and we feel a sense of freedom from issues that were holding us back before.

When we set up a constellation, the seeker will briefly state the issue they want to work on, without getting into their story about why or how it happened. He or she will be asked to choose representatives of family members or aspects of the issue and place them spatially in relation to one another according to what feels right to them.
What does “representing” mean exactly?
Representatives will stand in as the family members or aspects of an issue and after a while, they will begin to experience feelings, sensations or urges to move that are coming from the seeker’s family system and through them. Simply by intention, they connect to the energy field of the seeker’s family, or the Family Soul and allow themselves to flow with what emerges. This is very useful in order to illuminate hidden dynamics that the seeker is entangled with and move towards the solution.
How long does it take to do one?
A constellation in groups may take anywhere from around half an hour to an hour and a half.
How often should I do constellations?
When a constellation is set up for you, it takes time for you to integrate the full effects, which can vary between seekers. Therefore, it is recommended that you allow for this to happen without interrupting the process.

I would recommend that you wait at least a month before setting up another constellation. If you would like to deepen your process, it is recommended that you participate in as many workshops as you feel drawn to as an observer or a representative. Constellations in groups don’t just benefit the seeker, but the entire group present.
If I have an issue, what’s the best way to work on it with Family Constellations, in groups or individually?
The first step, if possible, is attending a Family Constellations Workshop in a group setting. The constellations set up in groups are for everyone present and their family systems. There is a resonance that happens in groups among members and their family systems and it is not a coincidence that this group of people have come together on that particular day. By observing and representing in other’s constellations you begin to make shifts and gain insights that will allow you to deepen your own constellation in the future, whether in a group or in private.

Keep in mind that we don’t talk a lot about your issue because this work focuses on the subconscious rather than on the story we tell about the issue. Also, the group commits to confidentiality.

Individual sessions are suggested for people who are uncomfortable in a group setting or who feel they need extra support after a constellation.
What happens if I do not know much about my family?
It does not matter for this work since all the information we need is within you and emerges through the representatives, who connect with your family field during this process.
Does my family have to come to a workshop with me?
No, because the representatives stand in for your family members.
What do I do after setting up my own constellation?
In order for the work to have its greatest effects, if you have set up your constellation, it is recommended that you:

  • Do not go over the steps of your constellation; in doing so you will try to interpret them through analyzing what happened and this work goes far beyond the realm of the mind.
  • Keep the last image observed in your heart as a seed that has been planted within you and will grow with time.
  • Trust that you got what you needed and were ready for and that you picked the right constellator and experience for you.
  • Refrain from talking about the steps of your own constellation to others as this may dilute the soul work done. Wait at least 40 days if you feel the urge to talk about it.
  • If the constellator has suggested you do some activity after the constellation, focus on it with the intention that was mentioned for you.  Honour the process.
  • Allow for time to integrate what has been experienced. Hellinger has mentioned that sometimes constellations take up to two years for its full effect.
  • Allow yourself to feel and release the emotions that come up after a constellation. For a while after a constellation some people may feel worse, before feeling better.
  • Do not set up another constellation right away. Although it is beneficial to participate in workshops and represent or observe, it is advised that you wait some time before setting up another constellation.
  • Do not ask other constellators about the constellation you did. They were not there.
  • If your constellation has not reached a “happy ending” do not think it did not work. Constellations will continue to process through time at the level of the soul and sometimes a constellation that seems unresolved will generate the strength you need to continue the process in real life.

What People Are Saying...

  • Minyong K
    I wanted to take a moment to express my gratitude to you. I really loved and appreciated my experience with family constellation with you. What an amazing and powerful way to heal and liberate!
    Minyong K
  • Adriana R.
    After my first family constellation with Marina I felt a great shift in my energy regarding my parents, especially my father. I have been working consistently to receive my father back into my life, through our classes and exercises. This past night my oldest daughter had a very symbolic dream where she is with her dad (my ex-husband) cleaning her feelings towards him. She woke up with a memory of a day her dad helped her and she realized her dad does love her. As I work my relationship with my father, my daughter also feels touched by this energy field and wants to shift the perception (criticism/judgments) she holds against her dad.
    Adriana R.
  • Susan S.
    I would like to thank you very much for the level I training / personal development of Hellinger Family Constellations.  It was out of my expectation.  I have learned a lot about relationships, family puzzle (as I call it!) and you!  Isn’t it wonderful to experience our thoughts (or better say the impact of people on us in our personal life) without being interacting physically with them?  What you are practicing and teaching in your Hellinger institute is saving lives of persons that they are seeking a better solution rather than hurting their love ones or themselves.  You are helping people to heel their pain and learn the method for life!  I am stunned how effective the workshop can be!
    Susan S.
  • Stephen D.
    I have been at a few constellations lead by you over the last year and a half and have been truly surprised each time. During and after each workshop major shifts take place in my life and the life of my family. Never knowing what will happen, each time I grow and I find myself becoming the person I want to be more and more. The work helps me focus on what's important as that is brought to the surface. It keeps me focused on what is. The connection I find with people there is up-lifting. It feels more like a spring board in my spiritual journey.
    Stephen D.
  • Jill Tusek
    It was a great experience to do a constellation with you and it definitely has made a change in my life.
    Jill Tusek
  • Gala Rabinovich
    I'd like to thank you for last Thursday evening's family constellations workshop. That was exactly what I needed, even though I did not have my own constellation done. The big progress for me was on one of somebody else's situations, when I was just sitting and watching the constellation. Since Friday morning I feel very peaceful and calm inside. Again a very warm thank you for that.
    Gala Rabinovich
  • Oxana
    I want to say thank you for today's session! It was very spiritually releasing and a soul enhancing experience. I feel different.
    Oxana
  • Nawal Yousif
    Hi Marina, I would like to say the class has changed my life, I cannot thank you enough. I now recommend it to everyone I know. Thanks again.
    Nawal Yousif
  • Martha Lopez
    It was a real pleasure to meet you on the Workshop. It was quite an experience, it really helped me to understand the reason that my mother and my father were the way they were. It was so clear not only when I did my family constellation, but when I saw the pain of other people that were on similar situations like my parents. I felt that any judgment that I still had for my parents was lifted as well as judgment for myself and some other people. I feel lighter now. Thanks ever so much for helping me and helping so many people through this amazing method and with your energy, light and love that definitely are great and make us feel so good.
    Martha Lopez
  • Isabelle Moreau
    I have had this incredible sense of peace since the last session. Connecting so deeply with the collective field has been a peak experience. Such peace. Such subtle strength. I also LOVED the meditation!
    Isabelle Moreau
  • Darren Steiner
    I just wanted to let you know how deeply moved and touched I was by the last Family Constellation Workshop. I have never experienced anything quite like it. You have an amazing gift that is going to help so many people, you are truly an inspiration to me and i'm sure so many others. It was an honour and a pleasure to have been a part of this and I wanted to say thank you from the bottom of my heart!
    Darren Steiner
  • Rachel Swift
    I want to thank you Marina for introducing me to the power of family constellation work. I had experienced several wondrous energy shifts after having two constellations done myself. I felt lighter and more open to life and love. The biggest surprise came after my third individual session. Both my parents have passed away and have been gone several years now. A few weeks after doing my third constellation I opened a letter from a dear old friend with a decade old picture of my two parents smiling at me arm in arm. The friend had been going through old pictures and felt moved to copy that one and send it to me out of the blue! It warmed my heart and truly felt like a hug from beyond.
    Rachel Swift