When I read a few years ago that a colleague offered online board constellations, I was sceptical. Could that really work?
I tried it myself a few weeks ago and am now very enthusiastic about this wonderful and effective support in my professional life.
What are Board Constellations?
Family constellations on a board are a method to show dynamics in family systems or symptoms. They make invisible dynamics tangible and help to find a direct solution. They make the abstract visible and allow insights.
For a board constellation I use a wooden board and Playmobil figures which are positioned in such a way that they present your inner image of a situation, a relationship or a system. Using this image we go into the dynamics that are revealed. By repositioning, I can show the client how it can be and what steps are needed to reach a solution.
Family board constellations work on many levels and they help you to move forward in your issues quickly and in a goal-oriented way.
How does it work online?
In an offline setting, you set up the figures as it feels right for you. Online it works in a similar way.
We start the session by having you present your topic or problem. After an initial discussion, in which I get a first impression of your situation and possible causes of the problem, we choose figures that represent the people or symptoms that are part of the topic or problem. These are placed by me, but you can feel your way into whether the placement of the figures feels right.
Then we dive into the dynamics and go step by step towards the solution.
The process is the same online and offline. At any time you have the possibility to instruct me to change the figures if they belong to another place in the picture for you. The only difference is that not you place them, but me (according to your instructions).
My experiences with online family board constellations
Before I officially offer board constellations, I have tried it with different clients and with a wide variety of problems and found it to be good. I find board constellations very supportive and the clients were able to go along wonderfully with every constellation. The picture is clear and sharp. And I use a second camera to film the board. This means that we continue to look at each other’s faces while you have the opportunity to see another picture on your screen showing the constellation.
My conclusion
I am a total fan. This is once again a reminder that we set ourselves many limits and that openness is the key.
