Joanne McMillan Workshops
                       Family Constellations testimonials...............                     

 Dear Joanne,
I can't thank you enough for coming to do the workshop here (in Palamartsa, Bu;lgaria). To have such love and light shone on us for the duration of your stay was very special. Your love, gentleness, clarity and trust in guiding all of us through some very complex issues on the day was amazing to experience. The workshop has shed light on one of my most challenging relationships and brought clarity, compassion and love where before there was anger, pain and judgement. I am really looking forward to doing more work with you in the future.
Lots of love ,Claire xxx   Friday, 17 August 2012,

 Thank you thank you thank you, Joanne, for the Family Constellations workshop. Within minutes of being in the room with you, I felt complete trust for you and knew that it would be safe to open up and allow the healing to begin. The loving energy that bathed the room was utterly amazing and it was a wonder to be part of all the transformations that took place. Since the workshop, I've been able to continue to connect with that loving energy and feel incredibly at peace with myself. I've been in the presence of several therapists and healers during my lifetime, but I found you the most profoundly intuitive, compassionate and loving of them all. Viv, Bulgaria Wednesday, 15 August 2012

 

Family Constellations is based on Bert Hellinger’s approach to family systems and the ‘Orders of Love’. We are all members of family systems. These systems have profound and at times disturbing influences within our lives, resulting in symptoms such as depression, addictive behaviours, psychosomatic disorders or an inability to form lasting, fulfilling relationships.

Family Constellation Work brings to light the dynamics that cause such disturbances. These often arise from the unresolved conflicts of former generations.

Children can become entwined in the emotions and traumas of other family members and take them on as their own creating

entanglements in a family system often lead to acts of blind compulsion.

- gain insight into your unique family system. 

 understand your family dynamics and hidden conflicts. 

 discover the source of imbalances within your family system and create a positive future.

resolve troubles and find answers for yourself, your family and your relationships.

 

 

In working with several thousand family systems, Bert Hellinger uncovered what he describes as the age-old Orders of Love, which are deeply embedded in the unconscious of family groups. Disturbances to the Orders of Love in previous generations will inevitably affect the lives of both concurrent and future generations. When this profound influence is understood, individual suffering is revealed in a whole new light and so is healed. This approach looks at the facts of life and death stripped bare, avoiding any defences, distortions or denials. Joanne facilitates in a way that is gentle, honest and built on unwavering compassion.

Why You Can Benefit

In almost every family there are things that have happened that can disturb the harmony of the family. It is important that no one is ever forgotten or shut out of a family. On every level there is a need for balance between giving and receiving (between individuals, families & larger groups such as nations). Usually we are unaware of the fact that we are in touch with everybody and everything in a family system and everybody and everything is in touch with us. The family system is bigger, greater and older than we are, and we are unconsciously subjected to it.

There are certain events that have a deep residual impact on family members, such as:

An early death of parents or grandparents

Tragic accidents where a member of the family has died

Divorce

Miscarriages, Stillbirths, Abortions, Death of a Child

War

A member of the family forced into the role of “Black Sheep"

  Adoptions

 

 How it Works

A Family Constellation is created where members of a group are asked to represent members of a family. Everyone is intuitively placed in a position, including an individual that takes the place of yourself whereby the family constellation comes to life. Those who represent family members begin to feel the emotions, fears and desires of the persons concerned. Skilled facilitation of the emerging process often results in a movement towards a deep healing of the disharmony manifest within an individual and their family system. Thus disharmony comes to light. In a very remarkable and astounding way, the true story of the family is expressed and clearly seen.

Everyone needs to be remembered and honoured fully.

Usually we are unaware of the fact that we are in touch with everybody and everything in a family system and everybody and everything is in touch with us. The family system is bigger, greater and older than we are, and we are unconsciously subjected to it. If someone in our family was cut off in the movement of life, e.g. suffered an early death, somebody else in our field will subconsciously sense this and feel the obligation to compensate, trying to continue the interrupted movement of the first person. Most likely, if the person who was cut off was forgotten or shut out of the family, the person representing him/her resonates with him/her. Everyone needs to be remembered and honoured fully.

Some examples of issues and resolutions in the workshop or session:

 

1)   A mother said that her middle son was angry with her and she didn't know what to do. He was getting bad marks at school and was defiant and rebellious at home. The woman had been married once before (without children) and had no respect for her ex-husband. She belittled her marriage and thought of it as a mistake. On setting up her constellation, we saw that her son was in contact with her ex-husband because the latter was shut out and did not have a place in that family system. The son had identified with the ex-husband and had taken on his feelings. His heartfelt expression was: "Nobody sees you, but I do. I‘m going to take care that you aren’t forgotten. My father only could step into that place because you left". The resolution was for the mother to honour her ex-husband as a part of her life that she had chosen to be that way and the son could be free without the need to carry this for his mother.

 

2)   A woman said that she was not loved by her mother, and that it took all her energy to get her attention. Before her mother married, she had been engaged to another man who had died of cancer when they were both 22 years old. Soon after, the mother married and had children, one of which was the group participant. When we set up the constellation, we saw that the mother was still so much in love with her fiancé, and so drawn to him that she had no attention or energy for her present family. The resolution was for the participant to speak to her mother and tell her: "Now I can see how difficult it was for you. I am going to let you go and stand with dad. That is my good place. But I will always have a big place in my heart for you".

3)   A man said that he had difficulty finding a partner, and no woman seemed right. Usually when he did find a partner, the relationship didn’t last long. He had had several girlfriends. His first was at high school, but he left her for a new partner. After we set up the constellation with him and his first girl-friend, it was obvious that their relationship was not over. In their hearts they were still together without being aware of it. By honouring the relationship of 22 years ago, they could finally part with love and face a new relationship. He said to her (i.e. her representative): "Now I see how much I hurt you. I’m sorry for what I did to you. If you ever need me, I’ll be there for you. I’m going to take y