Manual - Family Constellation Seminar (FCS)

No.

Variable

operational definition
11 obligatory procedures for FCS
First Day

1
(R1.1.)

welcoming and organizational

information for participants

All participants take their seats in a circle; the facilitator

welcomes study participants and gives organizational
information

2
(R.2.1)

explanation of FC

the facilitator explains general background of FC and

the potential meanings of family constellations

explanation of facilitators
procedures

the facilitator explains how he or she conducts FC

instructions for the role of a

representative

the facilitator gives instructions for representatives and

how to communicate from that role

(R2.3)

instructions for active

participants how to place
representatives

the facilitator instructs active participants on how to

position representatives in the room

opportunity for questions

all participants may ask questions about FC

initial round for clarification of

issues and goals of active
participants

the facilitator inquires with each active participant

regarding his or her particular concern (approximately
ten minutes each)

(R2.3)
4
(R2.4)
5

(R2.6)
7
(R2.4)

3RD/Final Day
8

final sharing round

(R1.2)

all participants may ask questions and voice concerns

(approximately sixty minutes)
each day of the FCS

debriefing

the facilitator answers remarks and questions

regarding previous FC

10

sharing round

participants may express personal experiences,

questions and concerns

11

breaks

two coffee breaks and a lunch break on the second

and third day of the FCS

Manual - Family Constellation Seminar (FCS)

7 obligatory procedures of individual FC

1

goal clarification between

facilitator and the active
participant in focus

the facilitator interviews the active participant

about his or her particular concern or goal
associated with the FC

shared decision-making
between facilitator and active
participant in focus about
which part/s of the family
system the constellation will
focus on

facilitator and active participant make joint

decision on which part/s of the family system
the constellation will focus upon (e.g. family
of origin, current family system)

positioning of stand-ins by the

active participant in focus
according to his or her inner
image

the active participant selects representatives for

system members and places them in a spatial scenario
according to her or his inner image of the respective
family conflict (problem constellation)

first enquiry of stand-ins

observations from their role

the facilitator enquires with representatives regarding

observations (bodily, emotional, mental state); in their
particular position

rearrangement of
representatives

the facilitator rearranges representatives spatially

according to these observations and/or asks
representatives to move to another position in the
constellation

second enquiry of stand-ins

observations from their role

the facilitator enquires representatives about their

sensations and perceptions, now in different positions
within the constellation

positioning of a solution
picture and termination of the
constellation

after the solution picture is established the individual

FC is terminated by the facilitator in agreement with
the active participant in focus

Optional elements of individual FC

8

Adding or removing
representatives

The facilitator adds new representatives and/or takes

representatives out of the constellation

ritualized sentences

The facilitator suggests specific ritualized sentences to

be voiced vis a vis other representatives (e.g. from the
representative of the >daughter to the representative
of the mother)

10

ritualized gestures or
symbols

The facilitator suggests the use of ritualized gestures

or symbols

11

Placing of active participants

into his/her own FC

Towards the end of an FC, the facilitator places the

participant her/himself into the solution picture to
experience the new constellation him- or herself