Professional Family and Systemic Constellations Facilitator Training
A progressive professional learning pathway
in Family and Systemic Constellations
Learning to facilitate Family and Systemic Constellations is not about memorising techniques. It is about developing a different way of seeing, listening and being with people.
The most effective facilitators don't simply know what to do. They have developed the capacity to stay present with complexity, recognise hidden systemic dynamics, work safely with trauma, and trust the unfolding of the field.
These qualities cannot be rushed.
This training has been designed as a progressive professional learning pathway. Each stage builds upon the one before, allowing you to integrate theory, embodied practice, supervision and real-world application as your skills and confidence develop.
The pathway progresses through Foundation, Stage One, Stage Two, and Advanced Specialist Training, enabling you to build competence and confidence step by step as your facilitation skills deepen.
Whether you are a counsellor, psychologist, coach, educator, health professional, or someone wanting to bring systemic thinking into your work, this pathway provides the knowledge, practical skills and experience to develop as an ethical and confident facilitator.
Following certification, graduates may continue their professional development through Advanced Specialist Training in Couples Constellations and Organisational Constellations.
Why This Training Is Different
Becoming an ethical and competent facilitator takes time.
This training has been intentionally designed as an 18 to 24-month professional learning pathway, combining live interactive (synchronous) learning with self-paced (asynchronous) learning, practical application, supervision and personal integration.
The self-paced components are completed through the online Learning Hub, allowing you to absorb the theory, revisit key concepts and learn at a pace that suits you.
The live interactive training is delivered synchronously, in real time, and focuses on discussion, experiential learning, skills practice, supervision, facilitator presence and personalised feedback. These sessions are also recorded, allowing you to revisit the learning, reinforce key concepts and consolidate your understanding throughout the program.
This blended approach allows you to develop your theoretical knowledge independently while making the most of our time together for discussion, experiential practice, integration, feedback and professional supervision.
The program progresses through Foundation, Stage One and Stage Two, with each stage building on the one before. This structured pathway allows you to develop your knowledge, practical skills and confidence progressively, ensuring you are ready for the increasing complexity of facilitation.
Facilitation is more than learning a process. It requires the integration of knowledge, self-awareness, practical experience and professional judgement. These qualities develop over time through practice, supervision, reflection and experience. By spacing the training over 18 to 24 months, you have the opportunity to apply your learning between modules, integrate new insights and return ready to deepen your skills and confidence.
This is more than learning a modality. It is a process of developing the presence, wisdom and professional judgement required to facilitate meaningful and lasting change in others.
Your Professional Learning Pathway
The Professional Constellations Facilitator Training is delivered as a progressive learning pathway. Each stage builds on the previous one, ensuring participants develop the knowledge, practical skills and confidence required before progressing to the next level.
Foundation – Module 1 (Prerequisite)
The Foundation Module is the entry point into the program and is a prerequisite for Stage One and Stage Two. Participants develop an understanding of the foundational principles of Family and Systemic Constellations, including the interview process, genograms, healing sentences, systemic thinking and the core concepts that underpin safe and effective facilitation.
Stage One – Modules 2–3
Building on the Foundation Module, participants develop the knowledge and practical skills required to confidently facilitate one-to-one constellations.
Throughout this stage, you will learn to facilitate one-to-one constellations using a variety of approaches, including face-to-face constellations, floor anchors, desktop anchors, online constellations and the Mind's Eye process. Additional theory is progressively introduced to deepen your understanding and support your developing facilitation skills.
You will also complete case studies in your own time, applying your learning with real clients. Following each case study, you will submit a reflection and answer questions about your facilitation process. Your trainer will review your submissions, provide personalised feedback and, arrange individual supervision to support your learning. This process helps you build confidence, refine your facilitation style and identify areas for further development.
Stage Two – Modules 4–5
Participants progress to facilitating group constellations, learning how to work with representatives, hold the group process and facilitate more complex systemic dynamics. In this module there will still be different theory that will enhance your understanding of the work. You will facilitate groups online and also meet together in person for live training and also run a group workshop together where each of you facilitate a constellation for the public.
Following certification, graduates may continue their professional development through Advanced Specialist Training in Couples Constellations and Organisational Constellations
Professional Constellations Facilitator Training
Duration: 12-18 months
Professional Learning Hours: Approximately 300-350 hours
Delivery: Blended learning combining live interactive (synchronous) training with self-paced (asynchronous) online learning.
Learning Includes:
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Live interactive training
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Online Learning Hub
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Individual and group supervision
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Practical facilitation
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Case studies
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Competency assessments
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Reflective learning activities
Advanced Specialist Training:
Following certification, graduates may continue their professional development through approximately 100 additional hours of advanced specialist training in Couples Constellations and Organisational Constellations, extending the complete professional learning pathway to approximately 450 hours.
Foundation: Professional Foundations
Everything begins with understanding yourself and the systems that have shaped you.
The Foundation Module is the entry point into the Professional Constellations Facilitator Training. It provides the essential knowledge, skills and self-awareness required before progressing into practical facilitation training.
You will develop a deep understanding of Family and Systemic Constellations, trauma-informed practice and the systemic principles that underpin safe, ethical and effective facilitation.
As your understanding of systemic work deepens, you will also explore your own system, developing greater awareness of the personal experiences, family patterns and unconscious loyalties that may influence your presence and facilitation.
Through a carefully scaffolded learning pathway, you will develop the essential foundations of facilitation, including client interviewing, genograms, systemic formulation, healing sentences, facilitator presence and nervous system awareness.
By the completion of the Foundation Module, you will have developed the theoretical knowledge, professional awareness and foundational skills required to progress into Stage One.
Stage One: One-to-One Constellation Facilitation
Building on the Foundation Module, Stage One focuses on developing the practical skills required to facilitate one-to-one Constellations.
Working initially in one-to-one settings allows you to develop confidence in the facilitation process before progressing to group work. You will learn how to integrate the knowledge and skills developed in the Foundation Module into practical client sessions while strengthening your facilitator presence, professional judgement and trauma-informed practice.
Through live demonstrations, experiential learning, supervised practice, case studies and personalised feedback, you will progressively build the confidence and competence required to read the field and facilitate one-to-one Constellations safely and effectively within your scope of practice.
By the completion of Stage One, you will have developed the practical skills and professional confidence required to facilitate one-to-one Constellations.
Stage Two: Professional Group Facilitation
Building on the one-to-one facilitation skills developed in Stage One, Stage Two focuses on facilitating Constellations in group settings.
You will learn how to transition your existing skills into both online and in-person group facilitation. This includes developing the capacity to hold the group field, work with representatives, recognise emerging systemic dynamics and guide the constellation process safely and effectively.
Through progressively scaffolded group practice, experiential learning, supervision and personalised feedback, you will build confidence in working with increasingly complex group dynamics while continuing to strengthen your facilitator presence, professional judgement and trauma-informed practice.
By the completion of Stage Two, you will have developed the knowledge, practical experience and embodied presence required to facilitate both one-to-one and group Constellations professionally and ethically.
Successful completion of the Foundation Module, Stage One and Stage Two comprises approximately 300–350 hours of structured professional learning and leads to certification as a Professional Constellations Facilitator.
Advanced Specialist Training
Following certification, graduates may continue their professional development through Advanced Specialist Training designed to deepen their expertise in specialised areas of practice.
Current specialist pathways include:
• Couples Constellations
• Organisational Constellations
Completion of the Advanced Specialist Training extends the complete professional learning pathway to approximately 450 hours, supporting continued professional growth, specialist practice and lifelong learning.
Why Immersion Training?
Constellations are learned through experience, not observation alone.
Our immersion model creates the opportunity to step away from the distractions of everyday life and become fully present in the learning process. Rather than balancing work, family and study, immersion allows you to focus deeply, practise consistently and remain connected to the learning experience over several days.
Immersion training integrates theory with practical application through repeated practice, observation, personal process, supervised experiential learning and facilitator feedback within a supportive learning environment. Spending extended time together also enables the learning community to develop trust, connection and psychological safety, creating the conditions for deeper learning, personal growth and professional development.
Each immersion forms an integral part of the progressive learning pathway, allowing knowledge, skills and confidence to develop gradually through experience, supervised practice and ongoing integration.
This approach supports not only the development of professional knowledge and facilitation skills, but also the embodied presence, confidence and self-awareness that are essential for facilitating Family and Systemic Constellations safely, ethically and effectively.
Participation and Learning Expectations
This is a professional facilitator training program. Throughout the course, all students are expected to actively participate as both practice facilitators and practice clients. Experiencing both roles develops a deeper understanding of the constellation process and is an essential part of building the knowledge, skills and confidence required for professional practice.
The primary purpose of this training is to develop your facilitation skills, professional judgement and embodied understanding of Family and Systemic Constellations. While personal insights, healing and growth often occur naturally throughout the learning journey, this program is designed as professional education rather than personal therapy.
Learning extends well beyond the classroom. Between training modules, students are expected to consolidate their learning through reflection, practice and integration. Returning with new experiences, questions and insights enables each stage of the program to build progressively on the last, supporting the development of competence, confidence and embodied practice.
During live training sessions, students facilitate practice constellations under supervision as an essential component of their professional development. Trainers and training assistants provide teaching, guidance, supervision and constructive feedback to support the development of safe, ethical and effective facilitation.
If you wish to undertake constellation work for your own personal process beyond the educational requirements of the program, we encourage you to engage an appropriately qualified Family and Systemic Constellations facilitator or registered mental health professional.
Developing as a facilitator involves both learning the methodology and cultivating the self-awareness, presence and embodied practice required to hold others safely, ethically and effectively.
Student Testimonial
Coming from a background in clinical psychology it became clear that most issues clients bring are NOT rooted in individualistic constructs or paradigms. Family constellations was the missing link I was looking for, it is a systemic approach to resolving a client’s issues by focusing on situating their dis-ease, or, disconnections in the family or social system, and embedding healing in one’s nervous system.
Edwina is a skilled compassionate facilitator and trainer who understands and works systemically with whatever issue(s) a client brings. Working with her has been deeply revelatory and healing in my own core family wounding in ways inaccessible through traditional therapeutic modalities.
I was very impressed with the process and the way in which Edwina facilitated the constellations in the groups and saw parallels with depth psychological processes. The course was well structured, with excellent, clear grounding in the principles of Systemic constellations and the process of facilitation. The course contained plenty of structured practice sessions that gradually, and suitably increased in difficulty as the training progressed.
One of the key skills for facilitating Constellations, as with therapists and groupwork, is the attitude and state of awareness called 'the empty vessel' in SFC. It is an equivalent notion in psychotherapy which is referred to as 'holding the space'. It is a state in which the practitioner is trained to become conscious of, and set aside their pre-conceptions, biases, judgements, projections and other reactions to deal with what is happening in the present for the client from a client centred perspective in an objective manner. In psychodynamic therapy this is learning how to navigate transference and countertransference. Learning to be fully present, without projecting their own subjective experience, mindset and opinions onto the client or the presenting situation. Edwina not only taught the 'empty vessel' skill. She also modelled it and demonstrated it for my group during the entire course. Her facilitation skills were of a high standard.
The constellations process uses an object-relations model which enables people in the group to externalise their inner projection so that the subjective reality became objective, in other words, externalised in the constellation. This process enables them to look at their issue from a different (more objective) perspective. What impressed me was that is not merely role-playing. The SFC enables clients to tune into an intuitive field of awareness and consciousness by which people can objectively experience the previously unseen elements of their subjective reality. It helps what is suppressed, repressed and unconscious.
In the therapy process achieving object relations is difficult to do, and often takes months, if not years to achieve. While SFC is not recognised as a therapy in Australia (only overseas) I found it to be an incredibly efficient process with helps a client a simple way to locate, and bring to awareness, the elements of a system that are affecting them.
Caroline (BBSc(Hons), MPsych, MA)
Who Is This Program Designed For?
The Professional Constellations Facilitator Training is designed for people who wish to develop the knowledge, practical skills and ethical foundations required to facilitate Family and Systemic Constellations or integrate systemic principles into their existing professional practice.
Whether you are an experienced practitioner seeking to expand your skills or someone transitioning into a helping profession, this program provides a comprehensive pathway to developing competence and confidence as a professional facilitator.
This training is particularly suited to:
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Counsellors and Psychotherapists
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Psychologists
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Social Workers
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Teachers and Educators
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Health and Allied Health Professionals
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Coaches
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Hypnotherapists
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Kinesiologists
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Community and Family Support Workers
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People working with individuals, couples, families or groups
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Those wishing to incorporate systemic principles into their current professional practice
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People who are looking to transition into a helping profession through comprehensive professional training
Regardless of your professional background, this program is designed for people who are committed to developing safe, ethical and competent facilitation through experiential learning, supervision, reflective practice and ongoing professional development.
Entry Requirements
No previous experience in Family and Systemic Constellations is required.
Applicants should:
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Have an interest in supporting individuals, couples, families or groups.
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Be willing to actively participate in experiential learning, supervision and skills practice.
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Be open to personal reflection, professional development and constructive feedback.
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Be committed to developing safe, ethical and trauma-informed facilitation throughout the program.
Applicants from both helping and non-helping professions are welcome. If you are transitioning into a helping profession or are unsure whether the program is the right fit for your background and goals, we encourage you to contact us to discuss your application.
Student Testimonial
I recently completed Edwina’s training. Whoa! It was quite a ride..… I’m so grateful for the whole
experience. Although Edwina’s course is not therapy, so many blind spots and unconscious
influences came to the surface. This allowed for some very deep healing and massive changes in
my life, especially around my practice and my self value. Edwina’s style is very practical and easy
to follow. I’ve always struggled with studying, and learning, but found this training to be very user
friendly. I felt extremely supported thorough out the training and made some tight bonds with the
other students. I feel so much more confident in facilitating group sessions now, and love that I
have extra tools that I can add to my practice. You can only go as deep with your clients as you
have gone within yourself. I highly recommend this training for existing practitioners. This work is
life changing. It wasn’t always easy, but it was totally worth it.
Thank you Edwina.
Warmly,
G.Marino
Your Learning Experience
Your Professional Constellations Facilitator Training (Foundation, Stage One and Stage Two) includes:
• Approximately 300–350 hours of structured professional learning
• Live interactive experiential training
• Self-paced online learning modules
• Individual and group supervision
• Progressive practical facilitation from one-to-one through to group constellations
• Supervised skills practice with personalised feedback
• Case studies and reflective learning activities
• Competency assessments throughout the program
• Access to your private online Learning Hub
• Recorded live training sessions for ongoing revision and consolidation
• Quizzes, learning activities and additional educational resources
• Opportunities to represent in Edwina's online and in-person Family and Systemic Constellations workshops throughout your training
• Ongoing support from a professional learning community throughout your learning journey
Successful completion of the Foundation Module, Stage One and Stage Two leads to certification as a Professional Constellations Facilitator.
Graduates may then choose to continue their professional development through Advanced Specialist Training in Couples Constellations and Organisational Constellations, extending the complete professional learning pathway to approximately 450 hours.
Application Process
To help ensure this program is the right fit for both you and the learning group, all applicants complete the following application process:
• Submit an application form.
• Participate in a phone or Zoom conversation with Edwina.
• Discuss your professional background, experience and learning goals.
• Explore your readiness for the program and determine whether the training aligns with your learning needs and professional aspirations.
• Ask any questions you may have about the program before commencing your learning journey.
No previous experience in Family and Systemic Constellations is required. However, we strongly encourage applicants to attend a constellation workshop before commencing the program and, where possible, experience their own constellation. This provides a valuable understanding of the constellation process and helps you determine whether this style of facilitation is the right fit before undertaking professional training.
Certification Requirements
To be awarded certification as a Professional Constellations Facilitator, participants must:
• Successfully complete all required learning modules.
• Attend and actively participate in live experiential training sessions.
• Complete all online learning activities, quizzes and reflective learning exercises.
• Successfully complete all required case studies, supervised facilitation practice, practical assessments and competency assessments.
• Participate in individual and group supervision throughout the program.
• Demonstrate the ethical, professional and facilitation competencies required of a Professional Constellations Facilitator.
Certification recognises that graduates have successfully completed the Foundation Module, Stage One and Stage Two of the Professional Constellations Facilitator Training and have demonstrated the knowledge, practical skills and professional judgement expected of an entry-level professional facilitator.
Learning Resources
Throughout the program, participants have access to a secure online Learning Hub containing:
• Recorded live training sessions for revision and consolidation.
• Self-paced online learning modules.
• Quizzes, reflective learning activities and knowledge checks.
• Downloadable resources, templates and course materials.
• Additional educational resources to support ongoing professional development.
Recorded training sessions are provided exclusively for enrolled participants to support revision, integration and consolidation of learning. Access is available through the secure online Learning Hub and is intended for educational purposes only.
Is This Training Right for You?
This program is designed for people who are committed to developing as ethical, competent and reflective Professional Constellations Facilitators.
To gain the most from the training, you should be willing to:
• Engage fully in experiential learning and practical facilitation.
• Actively participate in practice constellations throughout the program.
• Commit time to supervision, self-directed learning, reflection, case studies and competency assessments.
• Approach learning with curiosity, openness and a willingness to receive constructive feedback.
• Develop your professional judgement, self-awareness and facilitator presence alongside your practical facilitation skills.
• Reflect on your own development while building the knowledge, skills and confidence to facilitate others safely, ethically and effectively.
Professional facilitation is both a skill and a way of being. It requires knowledge, practical experience, self-awareness and an ongoing commitment to ethical practice and professional development.
If you are ready to invest in a comprehensive, experiential learning journey that develops both your professional competence and your capacity to facilitate meaningful systemic change, we would be delighted to welcome your application.
Meet your Trainer
Edwina Van Der Westhuizen
Qualifications
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Master of Counselling
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Graduate Certificate in Education
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Certificate IV in Training & Assessment
Professional Memberships
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Clinical Member, PACFA
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Level 3 Member, ACA
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Advisory Board Member, Constellators International
Professional Experience
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20+ years counselling, coaching and education
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Facilitating Family and Systemic Constellations since 2009
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Sessional Lecturer, IKON Institute
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Presenter at three international Family and Systemic Constellations conferences
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On the advisory Board for Constellators International
Edwina Van der Westhuizen is a Family and Systemic Constellations facilitator, trainer, counsellor, psychotherapist and educator with more than 20 years of experience supporting individuals, couples, families, groups and organisations.
Since commencing her work in Family and Systemic Constellations in 2009, Edwina has remained committed to ongoing professional development, integrating Family and Systemic Constellations with trauma-informed practice, psychotherapy, nervous system regulation and systemic thinking.
Her teaching philosophy is grounded in the belief that skilled facilitation develops through the integration of theory, experiential learning, supervision, reflective practice and embodied practice. She is passionate about helping students develop not only technical knowledge, but also the presence, professional judgement and confidence required to facilitate safely, ethically and effectively.
Known for creating a supportive and engaging learning environment, Edwina brings together professional rigour, practical experience and deep respect for the transformative nature of systemic work.
Her vision is to develop highly skilled, ethical and trauma-informed Professional Constellations Facilitators who can confidently integrate systemic principles into their work with individuals, couples, families, groups and organisations.
Christo Norden-Powers has taught Stillness meditation techniques in Australia and overseas for 40 years to many thousands of people, including to executives and boards of major organisations, and to Olympic Athletes. His primary mission is to enable people around the world to bring Stillness into everyday life.
He says: ' The path I've followed is best described as the path of Consciousness. Every spiritual tradition is founded on the process of raising individual consciousness to embrace a higher Consciousness. The small 's' self merges with the big 'S' Self.
The many different paths all lead to that. The different philosophies and approaches to attaining higher Consciousness each have certain meditative practices that will take us back to the Self. The practices are the practical way to experience Consciousness in every part of life.'
Christo is a corporate change consultant, executive coaching and a former criminal trial Lawyer & Barrister. Learnt NLP from John Grinder and is a reiki practitioner.
In the early 1970’s he met the great Siddha master Baba Muktananda from whom he received shaktipat initiation, which led to many extraordinary spiritual experiences, shifts in consciousness and deep insights.
Upcoming intakes
Applications are now open for the following intakes:
September 2026 Apply Now
February 2027 Apply Now
Places are intentionally limited to maintain a high level of supervision, personalised feedback and practical learning.
Investment:
Professional Constellations Facilitator Training
Foundation, Stage One and Stage Two (Modules 1–5)
Duration: Approximately 12–18 months
Approximately 300–350 hours of structured professional learning leading to certification as a Professional Constellations Facilitator.
Your Investment
• $5,750 paid in full
• 8 monthly payments of $775
• 12 monthly payments of $540
Enrolling in the complete Foundation, Stage One and Stage Two program upfront provides a discounted investment compared with progressing through each stage separately.
Flexible Entry Pathway
If you would prefer to begin with a smaller commitment, you may enrol progressively as you move through the training.
Foundation Module (Module 1)
• $1,300 (paid in full)
Stage One (Modules 2 & 3)
• $2,300 (paid in full)
Stage Two (Modules 4 & 5)
• $2,300 (paid in full)
Total Progressive Investment: $5,900
Should you decide to continue after completing the Foundation Module, your Module 1 investment will be credited towards your enrolment in the complete Foundation, Stage One and Stage Two program.
Complete Professional Learning Pathway
Foundation, Stage One, Stage Two and Advanced Specialist Training
Duration: Approximately 24 months
Approximately 450 hours of structured professional learning leading to certification as an Advanced Professional Constellations Facilitator.
Your Investment
• $7,995 paid in full (best value)
• 18 monthly payments of $465
• 24 monthly payments of $355
This option includes the complete professional learning pathway from Foundation through to Advanced Specialist Training.
Advanced Specialist Training
Following certification, graduates may continue their professional development through one or both specialist pathways.
Couples Constellations
• $1,000 paid in full
Organisational Constellations
• $1,500 paid in full
Complete Advanced Specialist Training
• $2,500 paid in full
Travel and accommodation for any in-person training components are additional and are the responsibility of the participant.
Previous Family and Systemic Constellations Training
If you have previously completed Family and Systemic Constellations training with another provider, please contact us to discuss your previous training and the most appropriate entry pathway into this program.
International Participants
Applications are welcomed from participants in Australia and internationally. Please ensure the live training schedule is suitable for your time zone before enrolling.
Previous Family and Systemic Constellations Training
If you have previously completed Family and Systemic Constellations training with another provider, we welcome your application. Please contact us to discuss your previous training and determine the most appropriate entry pathway into the program.
Recognition of prior learning may be considered where appropriate.
International Participants
Applications are welcomed from participants in Australia and internationally.
Please ensure that the live training schedule is suitable for your time zone before enrolling. Participants are responsible for arranging any travel, accommodation and visa requirements associated with attending in-person training components.
Check conversion for your location: https://www.worldtimebuddy.com/
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