Family Board Guide

Constellations with the Systemic Board

The systemic board (often called a family board) offers an efficient method to visually represent complex situations and explore practical solutions. It is frequently used as a powerful communication tool – and is particularly useful for meta-communication regarding interpersonal relationships. Below you will find a universal, cross-target group guide on how to use the systemic board:

1. Preparation

• Gather your tools: Ensure you have all the necessary materials ready, including the systemic board itself, wooden figures or objects to represent people or elements in the system, and, if applicable, cards or other visual aids.

• Set the stage: Create a calm, safe, and supportive environment for the constellation process.

2. Clarifying the Goal

• Understand the context: Discuss the core issue and the context of the counseling session with the person seeking advice. Understand their background and goals to work effectively with the systemic board.

• Define the topic: Clearly define the goal or theme to be addressed on the board. This could be a family dynamic, a team problem, or a personal obstacle.

• Formulate a question: If necessary, help the person formulate a clear, precise question or concern they want to explore using the constellation board.

3. Representing the System

• Place the elements: Put the systemic board in front of you both and invite your counterpart to place the relevant elements on the board. These can be figures representing people in the system or symbols representing various abstract aspects.

• Include the unseen: If appropriate, consider including representatives for deceased persons or past events.

• Allow for time: Give your counterpart enough time to set up the board so that spatial relationships and potential dynamics within the system become clearly visible.

4. Dynamic Interaction and Exploring Solutions

• Foster dialogue: Promote an open dialogue about the placed figures and their arrangement. Encourage the client to share their impressions and make initial changes.

• Simulate scenarios: Use the systemic board to simulate different scenarios and actively explore possible solutions.

• Move the figures: Move the figures or symbols on the board according to the connections and relationships in the system. This can involve changes in the position, distance, or orientation of the elements. Experiment with different arrangements and observe how the dynamic shifts. This is an excellent time to work with circular questions or the "miracle question."

5. Reflection and Integration

• Analyze the results: Take time to reflect on and discuss the outcomes of the constellation.

• Develop action plans: Based on the insights gained from the setup, jointly develop potential solutions or courses of action. Keep the focus on positive changes within the system.

• Transfer to everyday life: Discuss with the person how these newfound insights can be integrated into their daily life. Create space for an outlook on possible future developments.

6. Conclusion

• Capture the moment: At the end, or even during the process, it is often helpful to take a photo of the final constellation on the systemic board as a visual anchor.

• Wrap up: Conclude the session by summarizing the most important insights. If necessary, arrange follow-up appointments or discuss the next steps.

This universal guide can only provide a general overview of how the systemic board can be applied. For deeper insights, we recommend relevant specialist literature as well as systemic training and further education programs.

Good luck with your systemic work!