I began intensive training with Mark A. Johnson, LMFT as a facilitator of Systemic Constellations in November, 2005. I have also had the pleasure of periodic training with internationally renowned German facilitators and trainers; G. Dietrich Weth, Dr. Albrecht Mahr, Dr. Dietrich Klinghardt and Dr. Ursula Franke.

I completed my formal training with Mark in December, 2007 and I am whole-heartedly dedicated to the immense healing power of this work.

In 2005 I helped coordinate and currently serve as a council member for the Seattle Constellations Network, a community of Facilitators, Trainers, Promoters, Students and Supporters of Constellation facilitation in Seattle Washington. This community is the first of its kind in the U.S. and is paving the way for a stronger network of constellation communities world-wide. Check the website for current local workshop offerings and to view member profiles.

The Founding Father of Constellations
Constellations work is an experiential therapeutic modality pioneered in the 1980's by German Psychoanalyst Bert Hellinger. Hellinger was influenced in part by his 16 years as a missionary with the Zulu in South Africa, particularly by their habits of acknowledging generations of ancestors upon introducing themselves and healing through community "ritual".

The Evolution of Constellations
While Hellinger's work originally focused mainly on healing within the family of origin (the most common source of individual and interpersonal issues) Constellation work itself has spread throughout the world and grown to address issues that manifest in any kind of system, such as those existing among co-workers, blended families, sports teams or housemates, for example.

Over the years Hellinger's own focus has moved increasingly into what he called "movements of the soul" and into what he now considers "movements of the spirit". The dynamics at play in any family system are reflected in the many levels of our being, from personal to interpersonal to transpersonal. While family constellations focus on the dynamics of the family system, I believe that Hellinger's "movements of the spirit" address a much larger system in which similar principles of systemic dynamics apply.

Various Forms of Constellations
Many forms of the work have evolved to address internal systems as well. Constellations can be very effective in addressing issues that arise between various aspects of the Self, such as heart, body and mind, or even among the Traditional Chinese 5 elements of the human system. Constellations can be helpful on other abstract levels too. Setting up a 'dilemma' or 'trilemma' constellation to look at the hidden, deeper dynamics at play in your situation with a new and broader perspective can help in making important life decisions.

My Approach to Constellations
When I first experienced the Family Constellations of Hellinger's Student and colleague, Dietrich Weth, I was struck by the similarities between Systemic Constellations and the principles of Feng Shui. In each work, subtle adjustments are delicately orchestrated for the purpose of freeing up and increasing a healthy flow of vital life energy where it is most needed, lacking, blocked or stagnant. While Feng Shui is designed to create beneficial energy flows in space, between objects and people in the home, Constellations are designed to encourage beneficial energy flows in people, between individuals and between collectives of individuals - especially as these relate to our ancestors and extended family systems.

Our personal issues, in my experience, are often the result of our patterns of thinking (which are often the result of persistent family patterns). Since the thinking mind plays such an active role in the perpetuation of our issues, it is often helpful to work on a deeper level, bypassing the thinking mind and descending into the realm of the subconscious. In this work, the wisdom of the heart, body and spirit are honored and given a place to be of service in our healing process.

As a paleo-psychologist, I see the deep roots of this work as a timeless manifestation of humankind's deep desire for connection with each other in the natural order of our world and cosmos. Hellinger was, in a sense, a paleo-psychologist too, reclaiming and re-working ancient methods in order to cultivating this life-sustaining connection among modern humans.

I am inspired by Hellinger's example and focus my energy as a facilitator on cultivating deep and expansive shifts on all levels of being for the good of our selves, our families, our communities, our nations and especially our world.