Southwestern College Santa Fe, NM
My Personal Take on Family Constellations
by Beza Addis
In my 3rd quarter I had the opportunity to participate in a class activity that left a great impression in me. The activity was centered on family constellation and its influence in a counseling therapeutic setting. After listening to our guest instructor, Naomi, explain how much unresolved pain and loss can be transferred from one generation to the next, I was very intrigued to learn more about it. This is mainly because I am invested in learning about topics related to trauma and trauma work. The activity showed me how impactful a family constellation is in dealing with transgenerational trauma. In this regard what captured my attention the most was how to use that experience/information to make sense of an individual’s subjective experience in relations to their community?
Naomi’s presentation on family constellation and the hands on experience we did as a class gave me a unique opportunity to practice the business of applying a theoretical concept in a clinical and therapeutic setting. Hence, the experiential process I did as a class on family constellation provided me with the means to work through and release the heavy burdens which have strongly affected the growth and health of my relationship with my loved ones. That is why I appreciate having opportunities that encourage and enrich our abilities to better ourselves in such an active, lively, and worthwhile method. Consequently, I believe it’s invaluable to utilize the activities and opportunities we are given in class as a foundation and framework to learn to practice applying counseling theories and practices in a practical and productive manner. Moreover, it bridges and increases my confidence as a future mental health counselor.
