Family Constellations are used by psychologists, psychiatrists, psychotherapists, and alternative practitioners to help release tensions between individuals. The idea behind Family Constellations is that any member of an extended family that is forgotten or ousted from the family will be represented by a family member in a later generation. Forgotten members of a family can be aborted or miscarried children, those that died young, or those that have been forced out of the family. Those who represent these forgotten can carry the unacknowledged feelings of these individuals. In other words, the negative legacy from a past event can be passed down to succeeding generations, even if those affected now are unaware of the original event in the past.

In a Family Constellation setup, these hidden truths come to light so that healing may begin. The process begins with a client asking people from the group to be representatives and selecting a place for each representative. Representatives are then moved after several minutes to find the right place for each. When every representative feels right in his or her place and the other representatives agree, healing can begin. As each representative stands in their place, they are able to feel the emotions and feelings of those who they represent.

Family Constellations are used as a tool to look at all areas of life, from work, to love, to physical conditions. They help participants resolve misunderstandings, break cycles of alienation and abuse in the family, address painful family situations, and even uncover reasons for physical and emotional suffering. An alternative is Business Constellations, whereby members or departments are represented and the problems of the business come to light.