Thanks you very much for this case Dan
It raises some very important issues that I have also struggled with outside
of the jail setting.
Despite our best efforts people do occasionally get overwhelmed and not
always from their own constellation. It can happen being a representative or
even just form sitting in the holding circle. There are a number of
mechanisms involved but the common underlying one is that this work throws
people into exposure to raw emotion in a way that effectively bypasses their
defences. People can stay overwhelmed for several reasons:
1. If their unconscious mind decides that this actually this is a good
thing
2. If they are stuck in a role
3. If they get stuck in a trauma state
Sometimes one or more of these processes can be involved together. Each of
these require different interventions some brief some longer term. Sometimes
we will notice it during a workshop. Other times it will only be brought to
our attention by a participant during or after the workshop. That is why I
make it explicit that in my pre-workshop handouts that if any participant
has any difficulties after a workshop that they can contact me or another
therapist. Despite this I have had 2 participants over the years who were
distressed who chose to ignore this information and then slander the work
afterwards because on top of being overwhelmed they did not want to take
responsibility for their role in their own healing process.
All the others who have sought help afterwards have all had very good
outcomes where they ended up much better off than if they had never attended
the workshop. So clearly adequate warning about these unusual reactions is
necessary. Also adequate follow up is necessary. Sometimes this even
requires ongoing regular therapy for a while. As not all facilitators are
skilled enough as therapists to provide this follow up the ethical thing to
do is to ensure that you have someone available who does have the necessary
skills.
I hope this is helpful.
Thanks again Dan
I hope more discussion develops around this theme
hasta la vista
Chris Walsh
Melbourne, Australia
webpage: www.cwalsh.com.au
From: ConstellationTalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:ConstellationTalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Dan Booth Cohen
Sent: Friday, 16 May 2008 5:34 AM
To: ConstellationTalk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [ConstellationTalk] Ethical Question About Constellations in Prison
This is the final of 9 Case Studies on using Constellations in prison. It
raises an important ethical question.
Here is an excerpt to frame the question.
Background Information
Colin is a gregarious and witty white male in his mid 40s. He has an
athletic build and competes in several of prison's sports and fitness
programs. He also participates in the facility's educational programs,
having completed a Bachelors degree and working on a Masters. During the
Growing Together meetings, Colin was often a source of comic relief. His
humor was always affectionate.
Colin has served 20 years of a 30-35 year sentence for rape and attempted
murder. At the time of his crime he was a heavy drinker and prone to
violent outbursts.
Colin's Constellation
Colin asked to set up a Constellation about his difficulty connecting
emotionally in love relationships with women. Many men have insecurities
about their ability to fully love women. In Colin's case, this was more
than the typical lament. His crime was committed against a woman with whom
he was involved. He was asking to understand, and perhaps remedy, what he
perceived as an inability to share intimacy. However, his question opened
the door to look at the roots of his violent behavior.
[Description of the Constellation.]
In his questionnaire, Colin wrote:
"As I watched the representatives standing in the Constellation, my first
thoughts were that this would accomplish nothing. But as the Constellation
went on, I soon realized that this was far from the truth. Issues of
abandonment, that I thought I had resolved with my father, came right to the
fore. When representatives were placed in the Constellation for my victim,
wife, and children, the raw emotion that this evoked was terrifying. I
don't think I was ready for what I experienced that day. Love, hate, anger,
compassion, and a host of other emotions came on so strong that I felt
completely overwhelmed."
Colin wrote about his struggle with his feelings in the days following the
Constellation:
"The experience left me shaken for several days. I couldn't seem to stop
the flood of raw emotions that kept rising to the surface over the course of
those few days. To tell the truth, it scared me too much. At the time, the
whole situation seemed overwhelming and I did not want to deal with it. "
He stopped attending meetings. Then he began coming again after about two
years.
He writes:
"What I have come to realize is that I am a better person for having these
experiences. Even though the emotions were intense I feel I have come away
richer for having experienced them. I can say for certain that there was a
definite shift in certain aspects of my relationships, though perhaps not so
for other aspects. Since I have start attending Constellations again, the
strong emotions are still there, but I know better what to expect now. Even
though they scare the hell out of me sometimes, when I feel them, I know I'm
better for it. They make me feel alive!"
By the standards of the American Psychological Association the Constellation
would likely be considered an unethical intervention. The man is part of a
vulnerable population, the method is not empirically supported, he did not
give informed consent to the risks, and he was deeply disturbed by the
experience.
There are a number of sides to the argument of whether the Constellation was
helpful or harmful, whether an ethical facilitator should lead the group as
I do.
The prisoners in the group have all voiced their support for process. They
show up every month voluntarily and have for 4 years. Some, like Colin,
dropped out for a time, and have rejoined more recently. They are actively
recruiting new members from the prison population.
One could argue that making a man who has committed rape and attempted
murder "feel bad" is not bad in itself, especially if it has a positive
benefit in the long run.
One could argue that it is the facilitator's responsibility to keep group
participants from being "re-traumatized" as Colin likely was. If I cannot
reasonably assure this level of security, I should not be proceeding.
I have my own answers, but as you can tell, I struggle with them.
I would like to hear what others have to say about this.
Thanks,
Dan
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