Family Constellations

Family constellations are sessions, usually in a group, in which other people or objects stand in for members of your family so you can see your family relationships from the outside. A facilitator places the stand-ins in the room to show how the family relates, and you can take part actively or watch. The method grew out of family therapy and also draws on spiritual ideas. Studies are few, small and mixed, so the evidence that it eases distress or changes how you feel within your family is limited: see “Family constellations: what the research says”.