What Happens in a Family Constellation Session: Complete Guide #

By Alejandra León - Family Constellation Facilitator and Psychologist with 23 years of experience

Introduction: Why This Therapy is Transforming Lives #

If you're reading this, you've likely tried traditional therapy for years without seeing the deep changes you seek. Or perhaps something inside tells you that your current difficulties have deeper roots than you can see.

You're not wrong.

During my 23 years as a psychologist and holistic healer, I've seen how a single Family Constellation session can untangle emotional knots that decades of conventional therapy couldn't loosen. The reason? This therapy doesn't just work with your personal history, but with the invisible wounds you inherited from your ancestors.

In this complete guide, I'll explain exactly what happens in a Family Constellation session, how it works, what to expect, and why thousands of people are discovering that this is the missing piece in their healing.

Table of Contents #

1. What are Family Constellations?
2. The Science Behind the Method: Transgenerational Trauma and Epigenetics
3. How a Session Works: Step by Step
4. What You'll Experience During Your Session
5. After the Session: Integration and Transformation
6. Is It for You? 10 Signs You Need a Constellation
7. Online vs In-Person Constellations: What You Need to Know
8. Frequently Asked Questions

1. What Are Family Constellations? #

Family Constellations are a transpersonal systemic therapy developed by German psychoanalyst Bert Hellinger in the 1980s. Unlike conventional therapy that focuses on the individual, this methodology recognizes that we are part of a larger family system and that many of our current problems are invisible loyalties or inherited patterns from previous generations (Hellinger, Weber & Beaumont, 1998).

The Three Fundamental Pillars #

According to research by Hellinger and his colleagues, all family dynamics are governed by three basic needs:

1. The Need for Belonging: We all need to feel part of the family system, regardless of how we entered it (Cohen et al., 2019)
2. The Need for Order: There is a natural hierarchy in families that, when respected, generates harmony
3. The Need for Balance: Giving and receiving must be balanced for relationships to be healthy

When any of these principles is broken—for example, when a family member is excluded, forgotten, or not honored—systemic entanglements are created that affect subsequent generations.

How Is It Different from Traditional Therapy? #

2. The Science Behind the Method: Transgenerational Trauma and Epigenetics #

For years, Family Constellations were cataloged as "alternative therapy" without scientific basis. That has changed radically.

Epigenetics: How Trauma is Inherited Biologically #

Dr. Rachel Yehuda, professor of psychiatry and neuroscience at Mount Sinai, has been a pioneer in demonstrating that the effects of trauma can be transmitted biologically from parents to children through epigenetic mechanisms (Yehuda et al., 2016).

In her historic study with Holocaust survivors and their descendants, Dr. Yehuda found that:

"Epigenetic changes caused by exposure to trauma can be transmitted to children born after the event... These observations suggest that parental trauma is a relevant contributor to offspring biology." (Yehuda et al., 2016, Biological Psychiatry)

What does this mean? That when your grandmother experienced famine, violence, or traumatic loss, it not only affected her psychology, but modified the expression of her genes—specifically in the FKBP5 gene, associated with PTSD, depression, and anxiety—and those changes were passed to your mother, and from your mother to you.

Cellular Memory and Non-Local Consciousness #

Research published in Progress in Biophysics and Molecular Biology (2024) proposes that Family Constellations work with local and non-local states of consciousness, accessing what is called "ancestral cellular memory" (Booth, 2024).

The study explains:

"Family Constellations utilize techniques called representative perception and tuning-in to identify and release ancestral traumas. These are akin to remote viewing and mediumship... The phenomenological orientation, reference to family system entanglements, and potential for symptom relief through cellular mediation of ancestral memory are innovative features." (Booth, 2024)

What Recent Research Says #

A 2025 analysis published in Journal of Clinical Psychology examined the phenomenon of "surrogate perceptions"—the ability of representatives to feel the emotions and sensations of people they have never met:

"Although extremely popular in Europe and the world... the way participants experience visceral, nociceptive and proprioceptive sensations, as well as emotions and movement desires that match the represented family, remains a fascinating phenomenon that is beginning to be studied empirically." (Schmidt & Kleve, 2025)

3. How a Session Works: Step by Step #

Let me walk you through what really happens in a Family Constellation session. I'll use my particular approach—the León Method—which integrates Constellations with Shamanic Healing and Transpersonal Psychology.

STEP 1: Define Your Intention (10-15 minutes) #

Every constellation begins with a clear question or intention. We're not here to explore your entire life, but to focus on a specific issue that keeps you stuck.

Examples of effective intentions:

• Why can't I maintain healthy romantic relationships?
• What is the root of my chronic anxiety?
• Why do I feel I don't deserve financial abundance?
• What prevents me from setting boundaries with my family?

In my practice: Before beginning, I do a brief energetic reading and use my shamanic abilities to identify which lineage (maternal or paternal) needs to be worked on first.

STEP 2: Identify System Participants (5 minutes) #

Based on your question, I determine who needs to be present in the systemic field. Generally they include:

• Parents and/or grandparents
• Siblings (living or deceased)
• Current or previous partners
• Children (born or unborn)
• Excluded family members

A key principle from Hellinger: "Each person has a place and belongs, no matter what they have done" (Hellinger, 2003). Excluded members—those whom no one speaks about—are frequently the origin of the problem.

STEP 3: Initial Configuration (10 minutes) #

This is where the magic happens.

In group sessions: You will choose people from the group to represent your family members or the situation you need to work on or elements that configure the constellation. You place them intuitively in the space—their physical position, the distance between them, where they look—everything reflects the hidden dynamics of your system.

In individual sessions (my specialty): I use figurines, figures, or objects to represent your family members.

Why do constellations work with figures? Because the systemic field doesn't need physical bodies to activate—what matters is intention and relative spatial position. When you consciously place a figure representing your father in relation to your mother, your unconscious recognizes the family pattern and the energetic field activates just like with real people. The figurines become "antennas" that capture information from the family system, allowing me to read the hidden dynamics through their position, orientation, and the sensation they generate in space. It's like creating a three-dimensional map of your family system that reveals the invisible.

I also work with guided visualization or perform what I call "shamanic constellations" where I myself access the systemic field and channel the information directly.

🎥 See how I do an individual constellation here: My Working Method

STEP 4: The Systemic Field Activates (20-40 minutes) #

This is what amazes everyone the first time:

Representatives begin to feel emotions, physical sensations, and thoughts that are not theirs. A woman representing your grandmother may feel a weight on her chest. A man representing your father may have the impulse to move away or protect.

This is not acting. Studies on "representative perception" have documented this phenomenon repeatedly (Harris, 2020; Rieck, 2023).

As a facilitator, I:

• Read the energetic field
• Identify systemic entanglements
• Ask representatives what they feel
• Propose movements or healing phrases
• Incorporate shamanic techniques to clear dense energies

STEP 5: Resolution and Reordering (15-30 minutes) #

The goal is not to "fix" your family, but to restore order and allow each person to occupy their correct place.

This may include:

• Recognition phrases: "I see you, grandmother. I honor your pain."
• Physical movements: Repositioning representatives so the system flows better
• Soul movements: or what in shamanism is known as anchoring
• Healing rituals: or psycho-magical acts that help the integration process of what was experienced during the healing.

The moment of truth: When the system is correctly reordered, there is a palpable change in energy. Representatives relax, breathe deeply, some cry with relief. You, as the client, feel a weight lift.

STEP 6: Integration (10 minutes) #

We close the session with:

• A moment of gratitude toward the ancestors
• Recommendations to integrate the work
• Specific homework if necessary (may include rituals, letters, or ancestral connection practices)

4. What You'll Experience During Your Session #

Common Client Sensations #

Emotional:

• Deep release (crying, laughter, sighs)
• Sensation of "I finally understand"
• Unexpected compassion toward difficult family members
• Lightness, as if an invisible weight had gone

Physical:

• Changes in body temperature
• Tingling or energy currents
• Deep muscular relaxation
• Freer and deeper breathing

Cognitive:

• Sudden clarity about life patterns
• Understanding why certain things "always happen to you"
• New perspectives on family relationships
• Connecting dots you didn't see before

What a Constellation is NOT #

❌ NOT an emotional venting session (although catharsis may occur)
❌ You DON'T need to tell your entire life story (in fact, fewer words is better)
❌ NOT about "blaming your parents" (it's recognizing systemic dynamics without judgment)
❌ DOESN'T require your family to be present or know about it (change happens in the systemic field, doesn't require their conscious participation)

5. After the Session: Integration and Transformation #

What to Expect in the Following Days #

First 24-48 hours:

• You may feel emotionally sensitive or tired (this is normal, your system is reorganizing)
• Vivid or revealing dreams
• Desire to be in silence and reflect

First week:

• Subtle changes in how you relate to family members
• Greater clarity in decisions
• Some clients report that family members they haven't spoken to contact them spontaneously

First month:

• The patterns you worked on begin to dismantle
• Greater capacity to set boundaries
• Conflictive relationships soften
• Opportunities that were previously blocked begin to appear

Recommendations to Maximize Results #

DO ✓:

• Rest well after the session
• Write your experience in a journal
• Be observant of subtle changes
• Do the rituals or tasks I recommended
• Give yourself permission to feel what you need to feel

DON'T ✗:

• Don't try to intellectually analyze everything that happened
• Don't immediately confront family members with new revelations
• Don't expect everything to change overnight (although sometimes it does)
• Don't ignore follow-up guidance

6. Is It for You? 10 Signs You Need a Constellation #

✅ Yes, Family Constellations are for you if:

1. You repeat the same destructive patterns in relationships, money, or health, no matter how much you work on yourself
2. You feel "something" holds you back from being happy, successful, or fulfilled, but you can't identify what
3. You've been in therapy for years and although you've grown, you feel there's something deeper unresolved
4. You have unresolvable conflicts with your parents or siblings, even after trying to forgive or distance yourself
5. You experience anxiety, depression, or chronic illnesses that conventional medicine can't fully explain
6. You sabotage your success just when you're about to achieve it
7. You can't establish healthy boundaries, especially with family
8. You feel an invisible loyalty to a parent or ancestor, as if betraying them by being happy
9. There are family secrets, tragic deaths, or excluded members in your lineage
10. You sense you're carrying something that isn't yours—a weight, a sadness, a mission you didn't choose

Who Should NOT Do Constellations (For Now) #

⚠️ Wait if:

• You're in acute psychiatric crisis (seek stabilization first)
• You're not willing to see your parents/family with compassion
• You expect the facilitator to "fix" your life without your participation
• You're seeking spiritual entertainment, not real transformation

7. Online vs In-Person Constellations: What You Need to Know #

Do Online Sessions Work? #

Short answer: Yes, absolutely.

Since 2015, I've conducted hundreds of online sessions with identical results to in-person ones. The systemic field is not limited by physical space.

Advantages of Online Sessions #

✓ Global access: I work with clients around the world, especially in Spain, Portugal, United States, Canada, and Latin America
✓ Comfort: You can do your session in the privacy of your home
✓ Flexibility: More available schedules
✓ Easier integration: You don't need to drive after an emotionally intense session

Advantages of In-Person Sessions #

✓ Greater energetic intensity: Being in the same physical space amplifies the experience
✓ Deeper bodywork: where you'll experience soul movements in your own body
✓ Better for those who need to "leave" their usual environment or don't have the necessary space and privacy for the session

My recommendation: If you live near St. Augustine, Florida, consider an in-person session for your first constellation. If not, online sessions are equally effective.

What Makes My Practice Unique (According to My Clients) #

🎥 If you visit my reviews: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟, there are clear patterns of why people choose to work with me:

✅ Results where other therapies failed - "I never really achieved deep healing until my session with Ale"
✅ Speed without superficiality - "Just a few months" vs "two years with another therapist"
✅ Holistic and integrated approach - Constellations + Shamanic + Psychology
✅ Culturally sensitive - Bilingual, understands migration dynamics
✅ Compassion and professionalism - "She never gave up on me"
✅ Empowerment, not dependency - "She shows you the tools you possess"
✅ Lasting transformation - "I'm still experiencing the benefits"

Will You Be the Next Testimonial? #

If these testimonials resonate with you, if you've tried everything and you're still stuck, if you sense there's something deeper waiting to be healed...

It's time to take the step.

8. Frequently Asked Questions #

Is it one session or do I need a long process? #

It depends on your intention:

• For a specific issue: 1 session may be sufficient
• For deep healing and transformation of multiple areas: 3-6 sessions. Check my Packages
• The León Method (my integral approach): 2-8 months of work

Do I need to bring my family? #

No. The work is individual. Changes in the systemic field affect the entire system, without your family needing to be present or conscious of the work.

What if I don't know my family history? #

Not a problem. The systemic field reveals what's necessary. I've worked with adoptees and people without family information with excellent results.

🎥 I don't know the history: Can I do a FAMILY CONSTELLATION if I don't know my parents' history, my ancestors'?

Is it safe? Can it re-traumatize me? #

Well-facilitated Constellations are deeply healing, not re-traumatizing. This is a legitimate concern, especially if you've had difficult experiences in therapy before.

The critical difference is in who holds the space. A facilitator with superficial training can open emotional and energetic doors without knowing how to properly close them, leaving you vulnerable and destabilized.

My training as a clinical psychologist and my 23 years of experience give me tools that many constellation facilitators don't have:

Context: I know how to identify when someone is ready for deep work and when they need stabilization first

Emotional containment: I understand how to regulate the intensity of a session, dose the revelation, and accompany catharsis without it becoming overwhelming

Trauma management: I'm trained in how to work with complex trauma, dissociation, and defense mechanisms without re-traumatizing

Therapeutic closure: Each session ends with an integration, anchoring, and energetic closure process that leaves you contained, not exposed

Responsible follow-up: I don't abandon you after an intense session; I offer follow-up and integration resources

Additionally, my shamanic approach allows me to clear dense energies that are removed during the constellation and protect your energetic field during and after the work. I don't just open, but seal, clean, and strengthen.

What I will NOT do: Push you beyond your capacity, ignore signs of emotional saturation, or leave open wounds without closing them. My commitment is to your well-being, not my ego as a facilitator.

How do I choose a good facilitator? #

Look for:
✓ Solid training
✓ Proven experience (years of practice)
✓ Clear ethics (respect, confidentiality, boundaries)
✓ Approach that resonates with you (there are different schools)
✓ Real client testimonials

In my case:

• 23 years as a psychologist (trained in Colombia, Mexico, and Europe)
• Training in Family Constellations, Transpersonal Psychology, Shamanic Healing, and more techniques that support my work
• Over 1,000 clients served
• Bilingual (Spanish and English)
• Specialized in grief and trauma
• Experience with migrant populations and as a migrant

Is this compatible with my religion? #

Family Constellations are a therapeutic tool, not a religion. I've worked with Catholics, Christians, Jews, atheists, and people of various spiritual traditions without conflict.

My shamanic approach may include connection with ancestors and healing spirits, but I always respect your beliefs and adapt the language.

Conclusion: Your Next Step Toward Freedom #

If you've made it this far, it's because something inside you recognizes that there's more to heal than what you've been able to reach so far.

The truth I learned in 23 years of work:

You're not crazy. You're not broken. You're not difficult to heal.

You're simply carrying something that isn't yours.

Family Constellations aren't magic—they're ancestral technology now backed by modern science. They're the bridge between your family history and your personal freedom.

A single session can show you what years of analysis couldn't reveal. And when you see the truth of your system, healing becomes inevitable.

Ready to take the next step? #

Book your Family Constellation session:

• 📧 Email me: contacto@alejandraleon.com
• 🌐 Book online: www.alejandraleon.com

Available services:

• Individual Constellation sessions (in-person in St. Augustine, FL or online)
• Transformation packages with the León Method (2-12 months)
• Group Constellation workshops
• Ancestral healing retreats

🎥 Before booking, watch how I work:
See videos of my method on YouTube

Academic References #

• Booth, D. (2024). Family Constellation therapy: A nascent approach for working with non-local consciousness in a therapeutic container. Progress in Biophysics and Molecular Biology, 186, 33-38. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2023.11.008

• Cohen, D. B., Belicki, K., & Kienapple, K. (2019). Family Constellation Therapy: A comprehensive review. The Family Journal, 14(3), 226-233.

• Hellinger, B. (2003). The Center Will Hold: Constellations as a Bridge Between Individual and Collective Consciousness. Carl-Auer-Systeme Verlag.

• Hellinger, B., Weber, G., & Beaumont, H. (1998). Love's Hidden Symmetry: What Makes Love Work in Relationships. Zeig, Tucker & Co.

• Harris, J. (2020). Family Constellation Therapy and Surrogate Perception: A Phenomenological Study. The Constellation School of Consciousness.

• Hunger, C., Bornhäuser, A., Link, L., Schweitzer, J., & Weinhold, J. (2020). Process and effectiveness of Family Constellations: A qualitative study. Journal of Family Therapy, 42(1), 87-108.

• Konkolÿ Thege, B., Petroll, C., Húnor, D., Martos, T., & Bachner, Y. G. (2021). The effectiveness of family constellation therapy in improving mental health. Family Process, 60(2), 409-423.

• Schmidt, G., & Kleve, H. (2025). What happens to representatives during family constellations? Attempts at explanation and comparison with other difficult-to-explain phenomena. The American Journal of Family Therapy. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0732-118X(25)00003-0

• Yehuda, R., Daskalakis, N. P., Bierer, L. M., Bader, H. N., Klengel, T., Holsboer, F., & Binder, E. B. (2016). Holocaust exposure induced intergenerational effects on FKBP5 methylation. Biological Psychiatry, 80(5), 372-380. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2015.08.005

• Yehuda, R., Lehrner, A., & Bierer, L. M. (2018). The public reception of putative epigenetic mechanisms in the transgenerational effects of trauma. Environmental Epigenetics, 4(2), dvy018. https://doi.org/10.1093/eep/dvy018

• Yehuda, R., Lehrner, A. (2018). Intergenerational transmission of trauma effects: putative role of epigenetic mechanisms. World Psychiatry, 17(3), 243-257. https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.20568

Looking for "family constellation therapy near me", "constellation therapy near me" or "family constellations near me"? If you're in Florida (St. Augustine, Jacksonville), I offer in-person sessions. For other locations in the United States, Canada, or Latin America, my online sessions are equally effective.

Alejandra León - Shamanic Healer, Certified Family Constellation Facilitator, Psychologist (23 years of experience). Specialized in transgenerational trauma, ancestral healing, and the León Method.