The Integrative Approach vs. the Constellation Path

Constellation work is a therapeutic technique for the body, mind and soul. I look at it as a cross between a therapeutic and a spiritual experience. Differing from weekly therapy or psychotherapy, which focuses on a process of healing, development and restoration, Constellations is solution-based, which is why it’s often referred to as a “brief therapy.” In a session we are looking for the starting point (the origin) of the issue you are facing, because it is believed that much of the tension and blockage you are experiencing will loosen as a result of finding its origin.

Sometimes I see a person for a 1-time constellation; other times people come regularly to Constellation Circles to participate and benefit from working with the Knowing Field. Because it is highly energetic and works on a systemic level and not just an individual one, it takes time between sessions for integration. The suggested frequency between sessions is 3 weeks to 1 month, or perhaps more depending on the case. Once you learn what Constellation work can do, we all have a running list of what we’d like to look into. In this sense the work becomes a lifestyle and offers a new perspective to life and decision making – the Systemic Lens.

For anyone interested in diving deeper into their family of origin or if someone is in a transition and has many questions (subjects to constellate), I work with a package of constellations called the Journey Package. In this case, we work together and link one constellation to the next, so it becomes a process more than a 1-time constellation. Working like this is a potent way to direct your life in a moment of transition and uncertainty.

I got more than I hoped for from The Journey Package and it was absolutely worth every bit of time and money: the work is priceless. Meghan helped me access and remove significant blocks that have been in my way and holding me back for a long time. If those things were accessible through more common methods of self examination, I would have cleared them long ago. She has ways to to clear stuff that you'd never get to by more common means, by yourself or by talking it through. I have tangible results in my life that show the benefit of Meghan's work, so it's way more than insightful.

– Brenda, London

There are many applications to Constellation work as well. Although it originally started as a therapy for problems within a family, as a family is the first system we are part of, the approach can be applied to any system, such as an organization. In this sense it’s often referred to as “Systemic Coaching, Systemic Consulting or Organizational Constellations.” In short, Constellation work can help you find answers and resolution to nearly any question you have. It will reach the starting point in the bigger system, which is the family and ancestral field in most cases.

But there are limitations to Constellation work!

And you could say that there are some prerequisites to the Constellation Path as well as it is an embodied practice, which means we must be embodied enough before we can benefit from it fully. To truly embody something means that you have a full-body, FELT experience of that thing/state/experience. Embodied means that you don’t just know something as thoughts or mental understanding, but that you also feel it as it occurs within the sensations of your body.

This opens the big subject and an area of interest: the Body | Mind connection.

Getting out of our mind and into the body isn’t so easy but is essential for real change. We know now that trauma and stress are stored in the body and they manifest in ways such as anxiety, depression, chronic worrying, or inability to focus, to name just a few. The mind body split is a reality that we all live with to some degree, and without having worked with the body, the mind is likely to lead the way. The problem is the mind can create confusion and convince us to go one way or another, where the body can’t lie. When we are connected and embodied, there is an inner knowing and confidence that comes, and this becomes your reference for decision making and guide . One part of working with the body is working with the nervous system, that guides and interprets our sense of reality. Having an overstimulated nervous system is a consequence of difficult circumstances and trauma, so if we are already stimulated, adding more stimulation, like what can happen in a Constellation, can have a negative effect.

The fact is before you can dig into healing the trauma from your past, you must create safety in the present. This is where trauma work and bodywork come in, to create more safety, presence and somatic capacity so healing can be most effective. Without being embodied, or having more of a solid foundation to start from, it’s difficult for anyone to benefit from deeper therapeutic work. Instead you’re dealing with an unregulated nervous system that can make progress difficult, but it can be tamed and rewired to create a baseline and stronger foundation to start from.

The Integrative Approach integrates the different tools in my toolbox to meet your unique needs, but it especially focuses on the Body | Mind connection. By working with a body-awareness approach, it is an invitation to reclaim your physical, mental, emotional and energetic presence. A Constellation uses the body to work with the Knowing Field, but it has limitations for releasing trapped tension and trauma. By first working somatically, you will be more prepared for the Constellation Path and in better position to fully benefit from it. This is because you will have gained more self awareness working with the Body | Connection first, which is the real prerequisite for Constellation work.