Family Constellation as a Treatment for Overcoming the Consequences of Violence on Victims

Abstract

The subject of this paper is the implementation of family constellations by Bert Hellinger in work with clients with special emphasis on victims of physical and sexual violence. Although extremely popular in Europe and the world it has not been presented in Serbian scientific literature. As the approach has been developed in Germany as an answer to the situation where a significant part of population was a victim or perpetrator of violence during the Second World War causing suffering not only to them, but also to their offsprings, it offers a special contribution to the work with victims of violence. The aims of the paper are the presentation and analysis of the implementation of family constellations by Bert Hellinger and their effects generally in work with clients as well as with victims of physical and sexual violence. The technique of family constellations based on systemic and phenomenological approach is presented and discussed. Work is in the group, where participants form the circle and person who seeks problem resolution invites representatives persons who are crucial for problem solution previously agreed with constellation facilitator constellator. The constellator communicate with the representatives, encouraging them to express feelings, sensations and movement that will facilitate progress towards finding the optimal solution. The basic theoretical concepts are also analysed, including two types of conscience (individual and family), three basic principles of orders of love (principle of equal right to belong, principle of balance between giving and taking and principle of order) and three levels of the soul (individual, family and great soul). The approach to overcoming consequences of violence on victims of physical violence and incest through symbolic interconnecting with the perpetrator is analysed. When it is applied to violence the victim has an opportunity to get a more comprehensive understanding and to experience an alternative solution that could generate impulse for overcoming the violence. A frequent solution is that the perpetrator takes responsibility and expresses guilt for the deed and suffers together with the victim. That enables the victim to accept and overcome the effects of the violence. This solution is also useful in overcoming consequences of incest because it enables the victim to accept the perpetrator as a member of family. The victim could also have an insight into the role of other family members and significant others, accept it and find a better place in the family for himself/herself. This approach causes different reaction with public with its focus on reparation instead on retribution even in such a difficult issue as incest. Qualitative and quantitative evaluations have documented the positive effects of family constellations on problem solving and social relations of both active and observing participants. Further systematic researches of constellations' effects on victims of violence and comparative studies with other therapeutic approaches are needed.