The Textbook of Systemic Constellations E-Book

Stephanie Hartung

• Herausgeber: tredition
• Kategorie: Geisteswissenschaft
• Sprache: Englisch

Seitenzahl: 621

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2025

Beschreibung

The Textbook of Systemic Constellations Systemic constellations offer a powerful approach for working with individuals, families, organisations, and social systems. More than a set of techniques, they require both practical skills and a deep understanding of systemic principles, fields of application, and the inner stance of the facilitator. This textbook provides a clear and comprehensive foundation for learning, practising, and teaching systemic constellations. It combines theory and methodology with a wealth of practical tools: background knowledge, case examples, exercises, constellation formats, and teaching guidelines — all designed to support both personal learning and professional practice. Covering all essential aspects of advanced training, with a special focus on individual therapy and the psychosocial field, The Textbook of Systemic Constellations serves as a practical guide, a training companion, and a reliable reference for practitioners at all levels. For Psychiatrists, psychotherapists, psychologists, social workers, teachers, counsellors, coaches, constellation trainers and instructors, participants in training programmes, and constellation practitioners.

Leseprobe

To our colleagues

You seek to govern what rests in the hands of fate, yet what lies within your own you allow to slip away. Tell me, where is your gaze truly fixed? To what end do you reach out your arms? Whatever is to come, whatever shall be, remains—let this be plain to you—uncertain. But now, in this very instant, seize life—your life—in its singular, unrepeatable essence.

Seneca, 1–65 AD, Roman philosopher

Every phenomenon begins as a seed, long before it takes shape in the world. The wise are gentle with seeds, knowing what they may one day become.

Han Fei Zi, 280–233 BC, Chinese philosopher

At heart, each person carries the whole world within.

Christian Friedrich Hebbel, 1813–1863, German playwright and poet

The Textbook of Systemic Constellations

Principles, Methods and Uses

STEPHANIE HARTUNG

WOLFGANG SPITTA

CI Publisher

ISBN Print Softcover 978-3-911621-07-6

ISBN eBook 978-3-911621-08-3

Authors and persons responsible according to

§ 55 (2) German Interstate Media Treaty (MStV, formerly RStV):

Stephanie Hartung and Wolfgang Spitta

Kamekestraße 12, 50672 Cologne, Germany www.feld-institut.de, [email protected]

Cover Design: Katja Anspann

Illustrations: Stephanie Hartung

Translation with the Help of ChatGPT: Stephanie Hartung

© 2025 CI Publisher

CI Publisher is a label of Constellators International KG

Registered in Germany, Commercial Register, Cologne, HRA 31237

Address

CI Publisher c/o Constellators International KG

Kamekestraße 12, 50672 Cologne, Germany

Contact address pursuant to the EU General Product Safety Regulation:[email protected]

Copyright

This work, including all of its parts, is protected by copyright. The publisher is responsible for its content. Any use beyond the limits of copyright law requires the publisher's prior written consent. The book is an expanded and updated version of the original German edition © 2020Lehrbuch der Systemaufstellungen, Springer, Heidelberg, 2020

ISBN Print Softcover 978-3-911621-07-6

ISBN eBook 978-3-911621-08-3

Print and Distribution on Publisher:

tredition GmbH, Heinz-Beusen-Stieg 5, 22926 Ahrensburg, Germany

Disclaimer

The advice and exercises published in this book have been prepared and reviewed by the author and publisher with the greatest care. However, no guarantee or liability can be assumed. The implementation of the exercises is at the reader’s own risk.

Bibliographic information of the German National Library:

The German National Library lists this publication in the German National Bibliography. Detailed bibliographic data are available online at dnb.dnb.de.

Table of Contents

Cover

Dedication

Title Page

Copyright

Foreword

Bibliography Foreword

Contents of Our Book

I. Fundamentals of Systemic Constellation Work

I.1 Introduction

I.2 Historical Development of Constellation Work

I.2.1 Introduction

I.2.2 Perspective of the Considerations

I.2.3 Group Formats and Therapeutic Approaches as Roots

I.2.4 Insights, Paradigms and Attitudes

I.2.4.1 The Conscience as a Social Organ

I.2.4.2 Societal Developments

I.2.4.3 Intellectual Roots

I.2.5 Gunthard Weber and Bert Hellinger

I.2.6 Fields of Application for Systemic Constellations

I.3 Ethics

I.3.1 Introduction

I.3.2 Ethical Guidelines and Boundaries

I.4 Core Aspects of Systemic Constellation Work

I.4.1 Introduction

I.4.2 Attitude, Responsibility, Presence, Humility

I.4.2.1 Attitude and Responsibility

I.4.2.2 Sincerity

I.4.2.3 Fearlessness

I.4.2.4 The Desire for Change – And the Fear of It

I.4.2.5 Non-Intentionality

I.4.2.6 Self-Responsibility

I.4.2.7 Perception, Centring, and Presence

I.4.2.8 Humility and Devotion

I.4.3 Voice and Posture

I.5 The Orders of Love and Helping

I.5.1 Introduction

I.5.2 The Orders of Love

I.5.2.1 The Four Orders of Love

I.5.3 The Orders of Helping

I.5.3.1 The First Order of Helping

I.5.3.2 The Second Order of Helping

I.5.3.3 The Third Order of Helping

I.5.3.4 The Fourth Order of Helping

I.5.3.5 The Fifth Order of Helping

I.5.3.6 The Special Nature of Perception

I.5.3.7 Observation, Perception, Insight, Intuition, Attunement

I.6 Bibliography Fundamentals

I.6.1 Bibliography History of Constellation Work

I.6.2 Bibliography Ethics

I.6.3 Bibliography Foundational Aspects of Constellation Work

I.6.4 Bibliography The Orders of Love and Helping

II Methodology of Systemic Constellation Work

II.1 Introduction

II.2 Preparation before the constellation

II.2.1 Indications

II.2.1.1 The Systemic Dimension of a Concern

II.2.1.2 The Dimension of Systemic Complexity

II.2.1.3 The Dimension of Unconsciousness

II.2.1.4 The Transgenerational Dimension

II.2.1.5 Suitable Topics for Constellation Work

II.2.2 Contraindications

II.2.2.1 Mental Illness or Psychological Disorders.

II.2.2.2 Medication, Drug, or Alcohol Abuse

II.2.2.3 Explicit Request of the Person Concerned.

II.2.2.4 Respect for Humanistic Values

II.2.3 The Genogram

II.3. Rules for Constellation Work

II.3.1 Introduction

II.3.2 Agreements for Working Together

II.3.2.1 The First Rule: Confidentiality

II.3.2.2 The Second Rule: Perceive What Is

II.3.2.3 The Third Rule: Every Understanding Is a Hypothesis

II.3.2.4 The Fourth Rule: Do Not Identify

II.3.2.5 The Fifth Rule: Speak Little

II.3.2.6 The Sixth Rule: Disturbances Are Symptoms

II.3.2.7 Expression of Perceptions

II.4 The Constellation Dialogue

II.4.1 Introduction

II.4.2. Client-Centred and Hypnotherapeutic

II.4.2.1 Client-Centred Conversation

II.4.2.2 Hypnotherapeutic Communication

II.4.3 Active Listening

II.4.3.1 The Concern in The First Sentence

II.4.3.2 Parroting

II.4.3.3 Paraphrasing

II.4.3.4 Reframing

II.4.3.5 Utilisation, Metaphors, and Analogies

II.4.3.6 The Self in the Mirror

II.4.3.7 From Not Being Able to Not Wanting

II.4.3.8 Destabilisation

II.4.3.9 Casual Suggestions

II.4.3.10 Priming

II.4.3.11 Reconstruction

II.4.3.12 Reorientation in Time

II.4.3.13 Time and Belonging

II.4.3.14 Mirroring One's Own Perceptions

II.4.3.15 Awareness of One's Own Hypothesis

II.4.3.16 Getting to the Heart of the Concern

II.4.3.17 Accessing Resources

II.5 The Constellation Process

II.5.1 Introduction

II.5.2 Aspects Within the Constellation Field

II.5.2.1 Directive and Non-Directive Facilitation

II.5.2.2 Selection and Placement of Representatives

II.5.2.3 Directions of Gaze and Eye Contact

II.5.2.4 Representation and Representative Perception

II.5.2.5 Entering into Connection

II.5.2.6 Experiential Testing

II.5.2.7 Entanglement, Overlap, Confusion, and Projection

II.5.2.8 The Cataleptic Finger and Hand

II.5.2.9 Systemic Filtering and Anchoring Questions

II.5.2.10 Ritual Acts and Sentences

II.6 Closing the Constellation

II.6.1 De-Roling

II.6.2 Debriefing

II.6.3 Documentation

II.6.4 Aftercare

II.7 Bibliography Methodology

III. Perception and Cognition

III.1 Introduction

III.2 Truth and Reality

III.2.1 Introduction

III.2.2 Accepting What Is

III.2.3 Three Ideas About Truth

III.2.3.1 The First Idea About Truth

III.2.3.2 The Second Idea About Truth

III.2.3.3 The Third Idea About Truth

III.2.4 From Truth to Reality

III.3 Forms of Perception

III.3.1 Introduction

III.3.2 Extensive Perceptual Sensorium

III.3.3 Sensory Perception through the Body

III.3.3.1 How we perceive

III.3.3.2 Adding Sense to Sensory Perception

III.3.4 Pattern-Based – Intuitive Perception

III.3.5 Expanded Perception

III.3.6 Systemic Perception

III.3.6.1 Fields of Emotional Charge

III.4 Phenomenology und Constructivism

III.4.1 Introduction

III.4.2 Contrasting Ways of Knowing

III.4.2.1 New Phenomenology

III.4.3 Debates within Systemic Therapy

III.4.4 Order flows like water

III.5 Bibliography Perception and Cognition

III.5.1 Bibliography Truth and Reality

III.5.2 Bibliography Forms of Perception

III.5.3 Bibliography Phenomenology and Constructivism

IV Systemic Orders

IV.1 Introduction

IV.2 Gestalt Theory

IV.3 Systems Theory

IV.3.1 Open Systems

IV.3.2. Self-preservation and Further Development

IV.3.2.1 Identity Development

IV.3.2.2 Core Functions in Families and Organisations

IV.3.3 Functional Principles

IV.3.3.1 Complexity

IV.3.3.2 Equilibrium

IV.3.3.3 Feedback

IV.3.3.4 Self-Organisation

IV.4 Principles of Order

IV.4.1 Principles of Order in Organisations

IV.4.1.1 Organisational Hierarchy

IV.4.1.2 Organisational Belonging

IV.4.1.3 Organisational Bonding

IV.4.1.4 Organisational Balance

IV.4.2 Principles of Order in Families

IV.4.2.1 Family Hierarchy

IV.4.2.2 The Family’s Right to Belonging

IV.4.2.3 Family Bonding

IV.4.2.4 Familial balance.

IV.5 Summary: Systemic Orders

IV.6 Bibliography Systemic Orders

V. Biography, Self, Personality

V.1. Introduction

V.2. Biography

V.2.1 Transgenerational Biographical Work

V.2.2 Biographical work with the family of origin

V.2.2.1 Intrauterine Development

V.2.2.1.1 Twins and Multiples

V.2.2.2 Birth

V.2.2.3 Early Childhood Development

V.2.2.3.1 Interrupted Movement

V.2.2.3.2 Assertion of the Self

V.2.2.4 Adolescence

V.2.3 Biographical Work with the Present Family

V.2.3.1 The Life Integration Process

V. 3 I, Self, and Personality

V.3.1 The ‘I’

V.3.1.1 The proof of ‘I’

V.3.1.2 I and me (myself)

V.3.2 Self

V.3.3. Person and Personality

V. 4 Bibliographie Biography, Self, Personality

VI. Trauma and Related Disorders

VI.1 Introduction

VI.2 History of Trauma-Research

VI.2.1 Introduction

VI.2.2 Trauma Theory, Drive Theory, Trauma Theory

VI.2.3 Modern Psychotraumatology

VI.3 This is Trauma

VI.3.1 Introduction

VI.3.2 Event, Experience, Effect

VI.3.3 Trauma Process

VI.3.4 Ego Boundary, Introject, and Self

VI.3.5 Trauma Symptomatology

VI.3.5.1 Hypervigilance

VI.3.5.2 Hyperarousal

VI.3.5.3 Freezing

VI.3.5.4 Flashback

VI.3.5.5 Dissociative Symptoms

VI.3.5.6 Bipolar Self-Organisation

VI.3.6 Whom Trauma Touches

VI.3.7 The Complex Layers of Trauma

VI.4 Trauma in the Brain

VI.4.1 Introduction

VI.4.2 A Paradigm Shift in Brain Research

VI.4.3 Brain Areas and a Connecting System

VI.4.3.1 Brainstem – Maintenance of Life

VI.4.3.2 Limbic System – Emotion and Social Behaviour

VI.4.3.3 Cortex – Personality

VI.4.3.4 Neurotransmitter – Communication

VI.5 Forms of Trauma

VI.5.1 Introduction

VI.5.2 Trauma as a Trigger

VI.5.2.1 Shock or Developmental Trauma?

VI.5.2.2 T-Trauma or t-Trauma?

VI.5.2.3 Direct or Indirect Trauma?

VI.5.2.4 Secondary Trauma

VI.5.2.5 Transgenerational Trauma

VI.5.3 Trauma from the Perspective of Those Affected

VI.5.3.1 Individual Trauma

VI.5.3.2 Collective Trauma

VI.5.3.3 System Trauma

VI.5.4 Trauma as Lived Experience

VI.5.4.1 Existential Trauma

VI.5.4.2 Loss Trauma

VI.5.4.4 Symbiotic Trauma

VI.5.4.5 Attachment System Trauma

VI.5.4.6 Summary Forms of Trauma

VI.6 Trauma Therapeutic Approaches in Constellation Work

VI.6.1 Introduction

VI.6.2 Integrative Approaches and Constellation Formats

VI.6.2.1 Constellation of the Intention

VI.6.2.2 Intention Sentence Constellation

VI.6.2.3 Body–Soul–Mind Constellation

VI.6.2.4 Goal Constellation

VI.6.2.5 Constellation in Imagination

VI.6.2.6 Summary Integrative Approaches

VI.6.3 Boundary-Focused Approaches

VI.6.4 Trauma and Somatic Therapy

VI.6.4.1 Grounding

VI.6.4.2 Felt Sense

VI.6.4.3 Development of Somatic Awareness

VI.6.4.4 Remaining at the Descriptive Level

VI.6.4.5 Resource Orientation

VI.6.4.6 Titration

VI.6.4.7 Pendulation

VI.6.4.8 Discharge Movement – Sequencing

VI.6.4.9 Movement and Process

VI.6.4.10 Boundary Development

VI.6.4.11 Self-Regulation

VI.7 Bibliography Trauma and Related Disorders

VII Settings, Functions, and Formats

VII.1 Introduction

VII.2 Constellation Settings

VII.2.1 Group Work

VII.2.1.1 Me in the Group

VII.2.1.2 The Group is the Mother

VII.2.2 Individual Work

VII.2.2.1 Individual Work with Elements

VII.2.2.2 Individual Work in Imagination

VII.3 Functions of Constellations

VII.3.1 Analysis-Focused Constellation

VII.3.2 Solution-Focused Constellation

VII.3.3 Context-Relevant Goal Constellations

VII.3.4 Scenario Constellation

VII.3.5 Didactic Constellation

VII.4 Constellation Formats

VII.4.1 System Constellations

VII.4.1.1 Organisational Constellations

VII.4.2 Structural Constellations

VII.4.2.1 Problem Constellation

VII.4.2.2 Context-Relevant Goal Constellation

VII.4.2.3 Tetralemma Constellation

VII.4.2.4 Polarity Constellation

VII.4.2.5 Belief Polarity Constellation

VII.4.2.6 Polarity Constellation of Beliefs

VII.4.2.7 Integral Structural Constellation

VII.4.2.8 Astrological or Horoscope Constellation

VII.4.3 Mixed Forms of Structure and System

VII.5 Special Formats

VII.5.1 Blind Constellation

VII.5.2 Symptom Constellation

VII.5.3 Autopoietic Constellation

VII.6 Online Constellations

VII.6.1 One-Dimensional Constellations in Groups

VII.6.1.1 Position within The Own Space.

VII.6.1.2 Imagine a Space or a Specific Place

VII.6.1.3 Everything Takes Place in The Imagination

VII.6.1.4 Combining Different Formats

VII.6.1.5 On-Screen Orientation

VII.6.2 One-to-One Settings

VII.6.3 Two-Dimensional Online Constellations

VII.6.3.1 Floor Markers in One's Own Space

VII.6.3.2 Figures Used by Participants

VII.6.3.3 Combined View of Facilitator and Board

VII.6.3.4 Virtual Constellation Board

VII.6.4 Three-Dimensional Online Constellations

VII.6.5 Multidimensional Constellation

VII.6.6 Summary Online Constellations

VII.7 Bibliography Settings, Functions, Formats

VIII. Group Dynamics and Didactics

VIII.1 Introduction

VIII.2 Group Dynamics in Training Groups

VIII.2.1 Social Interaction and Systemic Leadership

VIII.2.1.1 Schindler’s Rank-Dynamic Positional Model

VIII.2.2 Three Existential Basic Needs

VIII.2.2.1 The Need to Be Loved

VIII.2.2.2 The Need to Have a Secure Place

VIII.2.2.3 The Need to Feel Safe

VIII.2.3 Individual and Group Development

VIII.2.3.1 Dynamics in Online Training Programmes

VIII.3 The Curriculum of Our Training Programme

VIII.4 Bibliography Group Dynamics and Didactics

IX. Appendix

IX.1 Introduction

IX.2 Biographies

IX.2.1 Jacob Moreno and Psychodrama

IX.2.1.1 Jacob Moreno

IX.2.1.2 Psychodrama

IX.2.2 Fritz Perls and Gestalt Therapy

IX.2.2.1 Fritz Perls

IX.2.2.2 Gestalt Therapy

IX.2.3 Bert Hellinger and Family Constellations

IX.3 Bibliography Biographies

IX.4 Author Profiles

IX.4.1 Stephanie Hartung

IX.4.2 Wolfgang Spitta

Other Books by Stephanie Hartung

The Textbook of Systemic Constellations

Cover

Dedication

Title Page

Copyright

Foreword

IX. Appendix

The Textbook of Systemic Constellations

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Foreword

A few years ago, when we set out to design our foundational training programmes in systemic constellations – both for organisational and individual therapeutic settings – we looked for inspiration, ideas and guidance. Although we had already spent around 20 years working in the field of constellations, had completed our own trainings and advanced courses with various colleagues, and had been running workshops and constellation days for over a decade ourselves, it quickly became clear that being a constellator and teaching the method of constellations were two entirely different challenges.

As we began planning our own training programmes, we soon realised how complex and demanding the task would be. First, we had to clarify what we actually knew and were able to do. Then we had to understand how we had acquired this knowledge. We also needed to identify which areas of knowledge were still insufficient for a training context, and what we had to research and learn. After that, we had to develop structures and a didactic approach that would best support the teaching of the content we had identified. Last but not least, we had to shape the material into a form that would allow us to provide our participants with appropriate handouts and documentation. Leaving aside the organisational, legal and financial aspects, we were facing a task that seemed to grow with every step we took towards it.

“We are not surprised when a two-year-old looks at a dog and says ‘woofwoof!’ because we are used to the miracle of children learning to recognise and name objects … The point is that expert performance has the same character. Intuition becomes possible when experts have learned to recognise familiar elements in a new situation and respond in a way that suits it. Good intuitive judgements surface with the same immediacy as ‘woof-woof!’(Kahneman)

To put it in Kahneman’s words: we could (and can) say “woof-woof,” but at that time we didn’t yet know how to teach others to say “woofwoof.” Especially because systemic constellations are not merely a technique or just a method. What needed to be conveyed also included specific knowledge about the fields in which the method would eventually be applied. In addition, we needed to teach what it means to adopt a systemic attitude – and how to practise openness and not-knowing.

What we lacked at the time was a foundational compendium that combined the essential elements of constellation training with the relevant application contexts – we missed examples of structured training designs (beyond the association curricula), background information on specific teaching content, a collection of useful exercises and constellation formats, and practical tips for teaching.

Although the last thirty years of systemic constellation work have produced a wealth of books and other contributions covering a wide range of aspects of the method, there was still no useful textbook on how to teach the work from the ground up.

Once we had gained enough experience through our own training programmes, we decided to write such a textbook ourselves – a guide to “the art of training in systemic constellations.” In 2018, Stephanie published her foundational volume on the theory and practice of organisational constellations – and the high number of downloads on Springer Gabler confirmed our assumption that there was a great need for this (as of January 2020: 32,918 downloads).

So far, this is the foreword to the original German edition of this book from 2020.

Now, five years later, Stephanie has published a further textbook on Systemic Constellation (with the title The Magic of Connection – Systemic Intelligence in Organisational Development). which focuses, in its practical part, on systemic practice in organisational constellation work.

In this organisational textbook, she acknowledges that systemic constellations, while central, are ultimately just one method among many. Her perspective is therefore expanded to embrace the broader field of application, as we have also done in the present volume.

This approach is also reflected in the title of the textbook for the organisational field. In it, Stephanie introduces the term Systemic Intelligence to underline the combination of professional expertise in the respective field of application with knowledge of systems theory and its application to organisations, alongside the practical work with systemic constellations.

The book is comparable in scope to this extensively revised and updated present English edition of the Lehrbuch der Systemaufstellungen (The Textbook of Systemic Constellation).

In the five years since the first publication of this textbook, Stephanie has founded CONSTELLATORS INTERNATIONAL (CI) together with Jürgen Ziemann.

A brief side note

Throughout this book, we use the term Constellator. We know that this isn’t a standard English term — in English, people usually refer to a facilitator of constellations. Still, we’ve found that, especially in international circles, the terms constellation and constellator have a certain clarity and resonance. So, we’ve chosen to stay with them.

CI offers systemic consultants from around the world who work with constellations the opportunity to present their professional profiles on the platform. In collaboration with internationally renowned constellation practitioners, CI has developed an international certification system for facilitators, trainers and training programmes, and organises congresses and other events worldwide, such as the biannual CI Retreat, which offers a comprehensive programme of constellation workshops led by international colleagues.

The organisation has also established CI Publisher, a publishing house dedicated to systemic literature. Behind the scenes, the development of the CI Academy has now been largely completed. In cooperation with an international team of trainers, global standards are being developed for the Academy's programmes, setting high demands on both content and didactics. Only certified trainers with accredited training programmes will be teaching at the Academy.

With the CI Academy in mind, the present Textbook of Systemic Constellation moves into focus — it serves as a valuable source for trainers, covering all the content that can and perhaps should be included in professional training in psychosocial constellation work.

In combination with our accompanying Instructor’s Guide for the development of such a training programme with the title A Guide for a Two-Year Training in Psychosocial Systemic Constellations – for structuring both in-person and online training the present book offers a unique comprehensive resource that addresses all aspects of high-quality training in psychosocial constellation work. (Hartung, Eichenberger)

In response to digital developments, we also offer the content presented in this book in additional media formats.

On our website at http://www.feld-institut.de, you will find the content of this book in a condensed form as PowerPoint PDF files, available in both German and English, which we also use in our online trainings. Our PowerPoints can be ordered either as a closed document or as an open file for further editing and use in your own work.

Last but not last, we offer the opportunity to work with our chatbot Jackson on our FELD website. Jackson brings together all the books, essays and lectures that Stephanie Hartung and her co-authors have written and delivered over the last 20 years on systemic consulting in general and constellation work in particular. Jackson is accessible in 90 languages.

This brings us back to the foreword of our original German edition from 2020.

Everything we have outlined here for the field of psychosocial constellations equally applies to systemic consulting in organisations, with a particular focus on the practical application of organisational constellations.

Our hearts are committed to ensuring quality in constellation work for the benefit of all our clients. We are pleased if, through this book and the accompanying media, we can contribute to the ongoing development of constellation work at a high professional level and provide our colleagues around the world with the content they need. Our book is dedicated to them.

We have deliberately taken a wide perspective and attempted to include everything that, at present, may be relevant for constellation work with people – both in their family and chosen relational systems, as well as in their self-determined lives. We held numerous conversations and attended many events and further training programmes to gain an overview of the diverse approaches.

Wherever possible, we have sought to avoid narrowing the view to our own opinions. At the same time, we wished to subject already ‘established truths’ to renewed reflection.

This led us, in some areas, to go deeper and broader than is typical in most training programmes known to us – whether these expanded dimensions be spiritual, philosophical, or scientific. We aimed to show how deeply embedded the constellation method is – and must be – in various areas of society.

A Word About Our Perspective as Constellators and Trainers

There are times when things develop and change so quickly that writing a book can seem almost anachronistic. While working on the German original book, Bert Hellinger passed away on 19 September 2019. He deserves a special place in the field of systemic constellations. Through his influential – and at times challenging or polarising – work, he laid the foundations for the rich field of working with human connection, especially in its early stages.

That he was able to define boundaries that, paradoxically, opened up a space of seemingly endless boundlessness – we acknowledge this with deep respect and wonder. What this field has produced since then is far more diverse, complex, vibrant, wise, and expansive than we could ever have imagined. And after all, its beginnings are not that long ago.

During our work on the German original book, Berlin celebrated the 30th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall with a week of events. We see certain parallels between the developments from the 1980s until today – a time marked by globalisation, when the world seemed to be moving steadily in one direction: towards connection. Constellation work appears to be a core part of this movement. It is the breath without which connection cannot succeed. Constellation work is also a global language. It is immediately understood by people from all cultures.

What initially seemed like a successful wave that swept across the German-speaking world has since flowed into the oceans of the world and reached every shore, every culture. Constellation work is like water. It finds its way everywhere. You cannot see your own reflection in flowing water. Everything that appears in it becomes part of a constantly shifting, all-connecting pattern.

In recent years, non-profit associations dedicated to the development of constellation work have emerged around the world. Their members research, teach, and support each other, and meet regularly in working groups and at annual congresses to share – and celebrate – the state of developments.

Recently, the method has been increasingly adopted by universities – particularly in the organisational field – as a subject of research, as a method for research, and as a didactic tool. Whether in Berlin (Prof. Dr Marcus Birkenkrahe), Bremen (Prof. Dr Georg Müller-Christ), Witten-Herdecke (Prof. Dr Heiko Kleve), Heidelberg (Dr Jan Weinhold, Heidelberg Study), Fulda (Prof. Dr Kirsten Nazarkiewicz), or Chemnitz (doctoral thesis by Dr rer. pol. Dipl. Ing. Thomas Gehlert) – systemic constellation work is making its way into academia thanks to the valuable contributions of those named here.

Stephanie also teaches at the European University of Applied Sciences in the field of business, focusing on systemic organisational and personnel development. In her lectures, she uses constellations as a didactic tool to support the understanding of course content – and has had great success with her students.

The exponential spread of the method has also led to it becoming detached from strictly psychotherapeutic concepts or organisational knowledge. There are now few fields in which constellations are not being used.

What emerged 30 years ago with the fall of the Berlin Wall as a movement of connection seems, in recent years, to have shifted in the opposite direction. National borders are closing again. The question of what is most beneficial for me seems to carry more weight than an intangible sense of global interconnectedness. The scales are tipping back towards separation – and perhaps we can also see parallels here in the field of constellation work.

Alongside the growing global diversity in the field of constellations, there is increasing unease about the resulting loss of control over who defines the method.

• Who, in fact, determines what constellation work is? Which definition counts?

• Who decides when someone is a qualified constellator and may be recognised as such – and when not?

• What are the requirements, the conditions, the conditional consequences?

• Do we need a higher authority to define a common denominator for all?

• And if so, are we still willing to honour the otherness of others?

• Should we close the borders again – and create separate definitions and quality criteria for each field of application, whether in therapy and personal development, in organisational and HR development, politics, culture, the arts, architecture, ecology, sociology, or any other field – so that we may once again say: “You belong – but he/she/it does not”?

We stand for connection and we believe in quality management for the sake of our clients. Together with an expert team commissioned by CONSTELLATORS INTERNATIONAL, we have therefore developed an overarching structural qualification framework for constellators, lead trainers, and constellation training programmes – a framework that will be applied worldwide.

We may not be able to think in connection – thought itself is a separating act. Yet whatever we consider, reflect on, and ultimately express, it will not be our binary ‘either/or’ insight that proves decisive for the global constellation field. The great systems theorist Niklas Luhmann recognised that the elements from which systems are made are not people, but communications – in other words, that which emerges as reality in the encounter and connection between people.

As systemic constellators, we bow to this insight in a systemic spirit and look with joy upon the diversity that has emerged through human interaction. In this spirit, we felt it was time not only to publish our German textbook in 2020, but also to expand it with important topics and update its content for the present English edition.

Stephanie Hartung and Wolfgang Spitta

Summer 2025

Bibliography Foreword

CI

Constellators International

www.constellators-international.com

Hartung, Eichenberger

Stephanie Hartung, Peter Eichenberger

A Guide for a Two-Year Training in Psychosocial Systemic Constellations – for structuring both in-person and online training

CI Publisher, Cologne, Germany, 2025

Kahneman

Daniel Kahneman

Schnelles Denken, langsames Denken (Thinking, Fast and Slow)

Siedler Verlag, Munich 2012 (German edition)

Copyright Kahneman 2011, p. 24

Contents of Our Book

Foundations of Systemic Constellation Work

In the first chapter, we introduce the spiritual, intellectual and therapeutic roots of constellation work, as well as its sociological and philosophical foundations. We also present other key aspects and insights that underpin the work. Against this backdrop, we trace the development of constellations since their early beginnings. The chapter also addresses questions of ethics, the therapeutic dimension of helping, and finally the “Orders of Love,” as Hellinger called them.

Methodology of Systemic Constellations

In the second chapter, we describe all aspects that belong to the methodology of constellation work – from preparation and preliminary conversations to systemic interview techniques, the full process of a constellation including the so-called unrolling, the closing phase, and any necessary documentation. The material is prepared in a way that is both detailed and practice-oriented, offering numerous exercises for learning the method and for participants’ personal development and self-exploration.

Perception and Understanding

Since systemic constellation work is concerned with acknowledging what is, the third chapter explores the dimensions of reflection required to approach the question of what is – as well as the question of how we can recognise what is. What is true in perception cannot be easily answered. This chapter reveals the depth of the topic and highlights its relevance to constellation work. We also provide a comprehensive overview of the two major epistemological approaches – phenomenology and constructivism – along with their fundamental differences in the context of constellation work. As in previous chapters, you will find background information, exercises, and constellation formats designed for both teaching and selfexploration.

Systemic Orders

What does the term system actually mean? What should one know when working with systems? This chapter covers the origins of system theory, as well as the basic functions and operating principles of various open systems – systems that appear as social constructs in the form of families or chosen relationships, non-profit or for-profit organisations, each with their own ordering principles. As in all other chapters, we introduce constellation formats developed by ourselves that serve as didactic tools for teaching the content. In this way, the teaching of the art of constellations – through constellations as a didactic method – becomes a continuous thread running through the entire book.

Biography, Self, and Personality

This chapter presents the core of our training in constellation work focused on individual therapeutic and psychosocial contexts. We describe a triad consisting of transgenerational biography work, biography work with the family of origin, and biography work with present-day systems. We offer in-depth information on the many life themes that often play a central role in constellations – themes arising from prenatal phases and the birth process, as well as from childhood and adolescence.

The chapter includes a particularly rich selection of constellation formats for teaching and potential self-exploration by participants. Finally, we provide a deeper examination of the concepts of ego, self, person, and personality. These terms are frequently used during constellation processes and are often sources of misunderstanding due to differing definitions. Once clarified, however, they offer a wide range of possibilities for exploring various issues.

Trauma and Related Disorders

An inseparable part of biography work is the complex topic of trauma, with its many-layered dimensions and insights – enough to justify an entire chapter of its own. In addition to providing psychological and neurobiological foundations, we introduce various trauma therapy approaches and constellation methods, as well as corresponding exercises and formats for teaching and selfexploration.

Constellation Settings, Functions, and Formats

This chapter offers an in-depth overview of constellation settings, functions and formats. It also takes into account the extensive field of online constellations, presenting numerous detailed options for formal design.

Group Dynamics and Didactics

In the art of training, the focus lies on both the what and the how. The what has been explored in depth in the previous chapters; aspects of the how, in relation to the necessary knowledge, group dynamics, and the art of didactics, are addressed in this chapter.

Appendix

In addition to the many important individuals mentioned throughout the book in relation to constellation work, the appendix includes detailed biographies and therapeutic concepts of Jacob Moreno, Fritz Perls, and Bert Hellinger. You will also find information about us as authors.

I. Fundamentals of Systemic Constellation Work

I.1 Introduction

In this chapter, we present the fundamentals of systemic constellation work, which we introduce in our first introductory module and continue to explore throughout the subsequent modules. We have prepared this material in a comprehensive and in-depth way, making it suitable as background information for presentations or talks.

The fundamentals include the spiritual, intellectual, and therapeutic roots of constellation work, as well as its historical development. They also cover key aspects and insights that underpin the practice. Naturally, this includes questions of ethics, the potential therapeutic dimension of helping, and the principles of order within constellation work.

I.2 Historical Development of Constellation Work

I.2.1 Introduction

Constellation work has strong and diverse roots, drawing from spiritual, intellectual, and therapeutic traditions. In this chapter, we offer a comprehensive overview of its historical development.

I.2.2 Perspective of the Considerations

When writing about the history of constellation work, we are aware that it depends very much on the perspective from which that history is told. We are also familiar with the various debates over who can rightly claim to be the originator of this approach. We do not wish to take part in such discussions, as we are convinced that the development of systemic constellation work has been complex, interconnected and therefore systemic in nature. Everyone who has contributed to its evolution holds an important place—serving what wished to unfold. No more, but certainly no less.

Rather than focusing on questions of supposed authorship or ownership, we would like to present to you the core insights, attitudes, and approaches—therapeutic, metascientific, and also cultural and artistic—that have shaped constellation work. Given its rich ancestry, it is hardly surprising that constellation work has, over the course of its now global development, become so polymorphic, abundant, and diverse.

I.2.3 Group Formats and Therapeutic Approaches as Roots

Group dynamics examines an individual’s behaviour within a group, the interaction and mutual influence of its members, and relations between groups. It was most likely the psychiatrist and sociologist Jacob Moreno (born Jacov Levy, 1889 – 1974) who first coined the term group dynamics. He transformed applied group dynamics into group therapy and developed sociometry, the study of socio-emotional relations among group members. Within the theory and practice of sociometry and group psychotherapy, Moreno embedded psychodrama, which he regarded as deep group therapy in which the truth of the soul is revealed through action.

More to Read

For detailed information on Jacob Moreno, group dynamics, and psychodrama, see Appendix IX.2.1 Jacob Moreno a nd Psychodrama

Equally significant roots of constellation work are to be found in Gestalt therapy. Its founder, Friedrich (later Frederick) Salomon Perls—best known as Fritz Perls (1893 – 1970)—was, from early on, captivated by the expressionist theatre revolutionised by Max Reinhardt (1873 – 1943). Like many of his classmates and friends, Perls served in his youth as an unpaid extra at one of the Berlin theatres.

„We loved the costumes, the sense of being part of it all, and the lively way of engaging with literature“ (Perls 1981, 1).

After working as an unpaid extra in conventional theatre—where even the Kaiser was occasionally in attendance—Perls became a paid extra at the Deutsches Theater (German Theatre), which had been under the direction of Reinhardt since 1905. Reinhardt, originally from Vienna and born with the Jewish name Goldmann, was described by Perls as the ‘first creative genius’ (Perls 1981, b) he had ever met. What Reinhardt stood for—and what Perls absorbed and went on to integrate into both his life and Gestalt therapy in the most radical way—was the demand for truth and authenticity. (Bocian, 1)

In his book Ego, Hunger and Aggression(Perls 1947), Fritz Perls praises Jacob Moreno for overcoming what he saw as a major shortcoming in Freud’s approach—namely, turning the client into a passive object of the therapist’s interpretation. As a theatre enthusiast, Perls was also deeply fascinated by Moreno’s invitation to clients to write, stage, and perform their own personal dramas.

The early experiences at Max Reinhardt’s theatre, the techniques of Moreno’s psychodrama—which Perls later adapted, particularly in his final years—and the impulses of the Living Theatre all lived on in his famously notorious demonstration sessions at the Esalen Institute in California, which he himself referred to as his “circus.” Here, he communicated gently or confrontationally, often guiding like a director, with a person who had taken a seat in the centre of the group. He invited them to enact and embody their inner polarities—whether parts of their personality or dream figures. During this period, Perls saw himself as ‘a good actor and performer, able to transform like a chameleon’.”(Perls 1981, 2) (Bocian, 2)(Editor’s note: The Living Theatre is a postdramatic theatre group founded in New York in 1947.)

In contrast to ‘classical’ constellation work—where representatives report on their perceptions and emotions from their positions in a manner similar to that of a reporter—Gestalt therapy deliberately involves intense and strongly expressive enactment and embodiment of inner emotions and perceptions within a given role. Since both constellation work and Gestalt therapy are ultimately concerned with the (however it may be expressed) authentic expression of emotions and inner experience, the boundaries between them blur when it comes to the form and intensity of that expression.

Gestalt therapy, as developed by Perls, has no fixed set of methods— virtually anything is ‘allowed’ if it serves the client’s process of gestalt development or discovery. A classic element, however, is the spatial positioning of different inner parts of the client, working with the client as they step into and experience these aspects of themselves, or arrangements in which an imagined person or internal part is placed opposite the client, on a chair or cushion.

More to Read

For more detailed information on Fritz Perls and Gestalt therapy, see Appendix IX.2.2 Fritz Perls and Gestalt Therapy.

Another important root of constellation work is family sculpture, developed by the American therapist Virginia Satir (1916–1988), who is regarded as a pioneer of family therapy. In the 1970s, Satir introduced this method, in which family members position themselves in the room at subjectively appropriate distances from one another and adopt physical postures that express their relationships. These postures are often accompanied by gestures and facial expressions. The resulting tableau resembles a sculpture, which gave the method its name.

Unlike the phenomenological family constellations later developed by the German theologian and psychotherapist Bert Hellinger (1925–2019), in Satir’s family sculptures, the protagonists themselves take their positions. One might argue that an essential feature of systemic constellations is the second-order observer perspective— where the client observes themselves through the representative— which would make the method fundamentally different from family sculpture. However, the practice of representation can already be found in the work of Moreno, long before Satir (setting aside, of course, the long-standing tradition of theatre, which has always been a form of representation). Moreover, in contemporary constellation work, client representation is no longer the standard or a strict requirement—it is now one of several possible formats.

Virginia Satir was born in 1916 as the eldest of four siblings into a culturally strained environment on a farm in Wisconsin, USA. Her father was a farm labourer, and her mother came from a well-to-do bourgeois background. Early family experiences led to her deep interest in family therapy. At the age of five, she declared her wish to become a “family detective” in response to her parents’ ongoing conflicts. After completing college, she trained in social work and psychoanalysis before opening her first private practice.

In 1959, Satir co-founded the renowned Mental Research Institute (MRI) in Palo Alto, together with American psychiatrist Don D. Jackson (1920–1968) and neurologist and psychiatrist Jules J. Riskin. Among those who conducted research and taught at the MRI from 1960 to 2007 was Austrian-American communication theorist Paul Watzlawick. After seven years, Satir ended her collaboration with the institute to focus fully on teaching and further developing her Conjoint Family Therapy approach. In the 1970s, she formed close connections with various Native American tribes and ultimately found in their traditions a deep spiritual source for her work.

In 1977, Satir founded the Avanta Network, dedicated to developing and sharing methods for strengthening self-esteem (Satir). Members of the network also work on promoting models of thinking that place personal growth at the centre, and on developing approaches to improve interpersonal communication patterns. Satir died on 10 September 1988 in her home in Palo Alto.

When comparing the work of Satir and Hellinger, numerous parallels emerge in their shared commitment to fostering peaceful and loving human relationships—Satir through the Avanta Network, and Hellinger through Sciencia.

One can also find striking similarities between Satir’s philosophy and the constructivist and phenomenological stance of systemic constellation practitioners—especially in her concept of the Five Freedoms, which she sought to empower in her clients:

• The freedom to see and hear what is truly present in the moment, rather than what should be, was, or might be.

• The freedom to speak what I truly feel and think, rather than what is expected of me.

• The freedom to feel what I feel, instead of pretending otherwise.

• The freedom to ask for what I need, rather than hoping someone will notice or waiting for permission.

• The freedom to take risks in my own responsibility, instead of always playing it safe and avoiding the unknown.

The German child and adolescent psychiatrist Thea Luise Schönfelder (1925–2010) introduced the method of Virginia Satir’s family sculpture at a conference in Hamburg in the early 1980s, where Bert Hellinger was also in attendance. For Hellinger—who was already working intensively in the field of group dynamics and was familiar with experimental and expressive methods such as those explored by Perls at Esalen during his time in America—this method of positioning offered itself almost naturally as the “missing link” in his work. Two of Satir’s students, Ruth McClendon and Les Kadis, also worked with family constellations based on Satir’s family therapy and repeatedly hosted Bert Hellinger at their workshops.

Another key source of inspiration for the family-therapeutic approach to constellation work was the Hungarian-born psychiatrist Ivan Boszormenyi-Nagy (1920–2007), who later emigrated to the United States. In her obituary, Dr. Marie-Luise Conen wrote:

“This book – ‘his work’ [editor’s note: Invisible Loyalties: Reciprocity in Intergenerational Family Therapy, with Geraldine Spark, 1973] – was to become a landmark publication for many therapists at the time, most of whom had first trained in other therapeutic approaches. For many psychodynamically oriented colleagues, it became the basis for engaging with family systems thinking and family therapy methods.”(Conen)

In Germany, his concepts were for a long time closely associated with the Göttingen group led by Eckhard Sperling, Almuth Massing, and Günter Reich, who repeatedly invited him to training events in Göttingen. Throughout the 1980s and into the 1990s, he was a frequent guest at international congresses, including those held by the Heidelberg group around Helm Stierlin, one of the pioneers of systemic therapy in Germany, who also welcomed Boszormenyi-Nagy to Heidelberg.

With his Contextual Family Therapy, Boszormenyi-Nagy developed a therapeutic approach that proved effective in cases of severe psychological disorders. It involved the patient’s entire family as a support system in the therapeutic process. He explored destructive patterns in family interactions, often spanning several generations, and included grandparents, children, and siblings in the therapy.

The practitioners named by Marie-Luise Conen—Eckhard Sperling, Almuth Massing, and Günter Reich—also co-authored the book Multigenerational Family Therapy, first published in 1982 and now in its fifth edition. This therapeutic approach brings together at least three generations with the aim of identifying and making visible potentially outdated or harmful patterns. Conflict behaviours are brought to light, worked through, and—where possible— transformed. Both Multigenerational Family Therapy and Contextual Family Therapy can clearly be seen as therapeutic roots of family constellation work.

The British biologist and author Rupert Sheldrake (*1942) has also had an influence on constellation work. In 1981, he published his theory of morphic or morphogenetic fields.

According to Sheldrake, the morphogenetic field is an inseparable part of a universal field in which forms are encoded as information. The moment a form appears for the first time in one place, it simultaneously becomes part of an informational field that, in turn, is a relative element within a universal system.

When a form emerges for the first time in one location, it can appear identically—and instantaneously—elsewhere, regardless of the distance between those places. Once stored as information, a form is never lost and can be reproduced at any time.

The same applies to patterns of behaviour. Newly emerging behaviours are immediately transferred to other areas. Once a behaviour is stored in the morphogenetic field as information, it can appear anywhere, instantly. Again, distance plays no role. According to Sheldrake, we are thus observing non-local connections, which he interprets as a phenomenon of entanglement. (Hartung)

On Tuesday, 8 October 2019, Hellinger Sciencia published a video on its Facebook page featuring Rupert Sheldrake on stage alongside Sophie Hellinger. Behind them, a photograph of Bert Hellinger— who had passed away shortly before—was placed on a chair. Sheldrake spoke of his long-standing friendship with Bert, whom he had first met in the 1990s during a constellation workshop in London. It was there, he said, that he witnessed a morphic family field for the first time in his life.

What united Sheldrake and Hellinger was their shared belief in something greater—be it consciousness, spirit, or a higher order— something Hellinger had pursued throughout his life's work. Sheldrake is convinced that the universe has a memory in which everything is stored, and he has supported this thesis through numerous publications and public appearances. Nevertheless, his ideas continue to be categorically rejected by the natural sciences as unscientific.

Beyond the phenomenon of the field, systemic approaches to family therapy, and concepts from group dynamics, constellation work is shaped not only by the physical positioning and expression of representatives, but also—crucially—by its unique style of dialogue. In this context, it is essential to mention the American psychiatrist Milton Hyland Erickson (1901–1980) and the American psychologist Carl Ransom Rogers (1902–1987). Their pioneering work in clientcentred and hypnotherapeutic conversation had a profound impact on the development of humanistic therapy—and consequently, on constellation work as well.

Ultimately, Bert Hellinger played a key role in the development and particularly the rapid global spread of family constellations. Many of his colleagues and students deepened, adapted, or transferred his work into other professional and applied fields. To name them all would exceed the scope of this chapter; to name only a few would not do justice to the many others.

More to Read

For a detailed exploration of the art of dialogue in constellations, see Chapter II.4 Constellation Dialogue. Extensive information about Bert Hellinger's life and work can be found in Appendix IX.2.3 Bert Hellinger and Family Constellations.

In Brief

Before Bert Hellinger, a number of figures can be seen as roots or inspirations for constellation work: Jacob Moreno, Max Reinhardt, Fritz Perls, Virginia Satir, Les Kadis, Ruth McClendon, Thea Schönfelder, Eckhard Sperling, Almuth Massing, Günter Reich, Carl Rogers, Milton Erickson, and finally, Rupert Sheldrake.

I.2.4 Insights, Paradigms and Attitudes

For hundreds of thousands of years, one of the most vital conditions for survival—if not the most vital—was belonging to a group (clan, tribe). Being cast out from the group was tantamount to a death sentence. Within the group, one not only belonged, but also held a clear and defined—or at least definable—place. This determined how, with whom, and about what one could communicate, which rules applied, and what responsibilities, rights, and duties one held.

Over many hundreds of thousands of years, we have developed a highly sensitive perception for systemic orders, relational networks, and social functioning principles. We can sense immediately— through every action, and even every thought and feeling—whether we are behaving, thinking, or feeling in a way that strengthens or threatens our sense of belonging within the group.

I.2.4.1 The Conscience as a Social Organ

The sense perception of belonging is expressed through our good and/or bad conscience. A good conscience is considered “a soft pillow” precisely because it signals that we are in harmony with the group and can feel secure in our belonging. Conversely, a bad conscience indicates that we have violated the group’s rules and values.

World literature offers numerous examples of the conscience as a gauge for socially appropriate behaviour. Greek mythology, for instance, presents many parables that relate to conscience. Although the term conscience did not yet exist in antiquity, the Greeks clearly had concepts for awareness of failure or guilt.

The ancient Greek word syneidēsis (meaning awareness, coknowing, knowing together) had several meanings and referred, among other things, to awareness of one's own actions and the ability to evaluate them critically. The very notion of co-knowing or shared knowing reveals the social dimension of the ancient syneidēsis. The phenomenon of conscience as moral self-awareness was described by the Greek philosopher Socrates (469–399 BC) as the ‘inner voice of God’.

The Roman statesman and philosopher Cicero (106–43 BC) described conscientia as an innate (social) human capacity to feel committed to the moral values of one's society. Through this, people are reminded of their virtues and transgressions. Moral values, virtues, and failings are not defined in absolute terms, but always within the context of cultural meaning and appropriateness. Even in antiquity, then, we find a form of systemic thinking—and a corresponding view of conscience as a social organ that serves as a measure for appropriate behaviour within the bounds of group belonging.

In more recent history, too—long before Hellinger's definition of conscience—similar descriptions can be found. The German philosopher and social theorist Karl Marx (1818–1883), for instance, repeatedly wrote about conscience as a social organ of perception.

“Conscience is connected to a person’s knowledge and entire way of being. A democrat has a different conscience from a monarchist, a person of means a different conscience from one without possessions, a thinking person a different one from someone thoughtless. …The conscience of the privileged is, indeed, a privileged conscience.”(Marx)

Bert Hellinger emphasised the fundamental role of conscience as a measuring organ for belonging in the context of personal development. Seen in this way, human beings have always thought, felt, and acted systemically—and they were aware of it. Here, the term systemic stands for the social and cultural paradigms, structures, and principles of groups and societies.

I.2.4.2 Societal Developments

A look at the history of Western cultures also reveals that, over the centuries, rigid social structures and birth-determined positions have increasingly dissolved—shifting from a vertical orientation to a more horizontal one.

With industrialisation, the importance of social class gave way once again—this time to personal achievement and financial power. Diligence, success and wealth became the new basis for societal elevation. Confronted with the humanitarian loss of a divine reference point, the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) proclaimed the Übermensch at the end of the 19th century. And, in the words of German philosopher Peter Sloterdijk (*1947), Nietzsche’s vision marked the return of the ancient principle of the semi-divine human—this time under the banner of liberal humanism and democracy.

In Brief

In many areas of society, human interaction increasingly became a (systemic) matter of negotiation on equal footing.

According to Israeli historian Yuval Harari (*1976), humanism evolved into three strands: liberal, social, and evolutionary humanism. Each, in its own way, carried the promise of utopian visions for a better world and a more humane way of living together (Harari).

Given the developments up to the end of the 19th century, it is hardly surprising that these now self-organising—almost autopoietic—social constructs such as families, groups, organisations, and other systems became the subject of scientific research around the turn of the century. This interest spanned disciplines from biology, neurology, psychology and sociology to Gestalt theory and systems theory.

Key Point

With the rise of humanism, the ability to negotiate the form and quality of human interaction within systems gained increasing importance. As a result, social constructs became a subject of scientific research in the 20th century.

In the second part of the history of constellation work, we focus on the scientific insights, paradigms and attitudes that emerged in parallel with these societal changes—and that helped shape the development and various expressions of constellation work. We believe that a basic theoretical understanding of the philosophical roots of constellation work is essential for anyone training in systemic constellations, as many core perspectives and attitudes stem from this foundation—and without them, the work would be almost unimaginable today.

I.2.4.3 Intellectual Roots

Of course, what we have described—albeit in very condensed form—about the seamless coherence of historical processes also applies to the history of ideas. In relation to constructivist elements or approaches within constellation work, we must look back at least to the Enlightenment philosopher Immanuel Kant (1724–1804), without whom the constructivist theories that emerged roughly 150 years later might never have been conceived.