The Family Constellations have once again been at the center of conversation following the premiere of the third season of My Other Self, the series that brought this practice to a mass audience and sparked questions about bonds, family histories, and patterns that many people feel repeat themselves throughout their lives.
While some find in this method a new way to look at their personal conflicts, others raise questions about its reach and its place within the field of mental health.
In dialogue with Para Ti, Jazmín Gulí, licensed psychologist (M.N. 13175) and specialist in Family Constellations, explains how this tool works, what happens during a session, and why she considers it important to move away from the idea of magical solutions.
“We are living in an era where new ways of understanding the human experience emerge”
-The third season of My Other Self rekindled interest in Family Constellations. What exactly are they, and why do you think more and more people are approaching this tool?
-The Family Constellations method is a tool that derives from systemic psychology in its approach. It considers the family of origin as a binding system in which all who were part of it belong and are interwoven.
This system has its own laws; it is a common soul, the family soul, which in turn participates in the Great Soul that contains all of humanity and does not differ much from the collective unconscious described by Carl Gustav Jung.
I believe that the great interest it sparks in people stems from a synergy of factors. Among them, that psychoanalysis is not effective for the average population because it requires a lot of time, money, and vocation for that kind of exercise. I still find it marvelous and a foundational cornerstone for those who practice the profession, but the relationship with time has changed a lot in this era.
We also live in a time where new ways of understanding the human experience appear, and many people seek tools that allow them to view their conflicts from a different vantage point.
“The method was designed to be practiced in a group setting”
-Many people arrive seeking answers about relationships, blockages, or repeating situations. What kind of inquiries do you usually work with, and what is a session like for someone who has never participated?
-The usual inquiries tend to relate to the essential themes that traverse human beings: love, achievement, family, illness, fears, and, lately, the repetition of patterns.
In its origin, the method was created to be worked on in a group setting. I still consider that this is the best environment where its true potential unfolds, although I also accept that an individual session from this perspective can be effective.
Group sessions are usually unique, with no obligation to continue, and can last from four to eight hours, or even intensive full-day sessions. It is difficult to describe the procedure without leaving out the essential, because there is something about the experience that can only be understood by living it.
In my way of operating, I ask that the person who came with the intention to perform a constellation raise their hand, without asking what the topic is. I randomly select someone and, based on a brief interview, deduce which people in their circle should be represented.
Then the client chooses the representatives from among the audience. They move freely around the space until they find a position, forming a first scene that the facilitator observes and interprets. All this arrangement, along with the phrases that are articulated, tends to touch deeply both the client and the audience and often also the representatives.
“Another common change is the emergence of a sense of relief”
-What changes do people who perform a constellation usually experience, and what place does this method occupy within a broader therapeutic process?
-The immediate and fundamental change is the broadening of the perspective on the problem; it becomes contextualized. Another frequent change is the appearance of a sense of relief.
I often say that “the space in the heart expands”, since many times people have those who are in or have been part of the system excluded, and after performing a constellation we can include them.
Some conflicts are resolved immediately, but this is rare. Unfortunately, that has given rise to the widespread illusion of miraculous resolutions, sometimes even inspired by inexperienced facilitators. I am a psychologist and have practiced for 43 years. I know that solving the issues that affect the human being requires processes.
Family Constellations represent a new approach that expands the therapist’s perspective and considers variables that were previously not taken into account, such as the binding laws within the family system and the transmission of information. People who do constellations and are also undergoing a therapeutic process can continue working on what emerges in that private space, which is even more enriching.
“A very widespread and mistaken idea is that the method is quasi magical: ‘abracadabra and everything solved'”
-Family Constellations generate as much interest as controversy. What myths or misconceptions would you like to clear up about this practice?
-From its inception they have sparked debate and I find it natural, since it represents a revolutionary perspective that decentralizes the human being, just as the Copernican revolution did with the Earth.
On the other hand, growth in the number of facilitators, many of whom lack prior clinical experience or personal psychological work, has given rise to reductive or erroneous statements. A very widespread and mistaken idea is that the method is quasi-magical: “abracadabra and everything resolved.”
I also think it is important to point out that training in a technique alone is not enough. Guiding human processes requires responsibility, experience, and ethics.
The difficulty for clients is choosing who guides that process, because neither the title guarantees ethics and good conduct, nor is it true that someone without it is necessarily a wrong therapist. That is why it is essential to inform yourself and carefully choose the person who accompanies the process.
Jazmín Gulí is a licensed psychologist, M.N. 13175. Family Constellations. @jazminguli
