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Family Constellation Tool

The Digital Family Constellation Tool is an interactive, visual way of exploring family systems and relational dynamics. It offers a gentle online alternative to in-person constellation work or sandtray, allowing patterns, roles, and entanglements to be explored as they are felt rather than explained.

Using representatives and symbolic image cards, therapist and client can build a shared constellation in real time — noticing placement, distance, resonance, and movement. The tool supports curiosity, reflection, and meaning-making, helping bring hidden or inherited dynamics into view.

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Designed for therapy, supervision, training, and reflective practice, it works especially well online, creating a shared visual field for collaborative exploration.

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I credit the following authors who have inspired me to create this tool. You can read more about their work (and family constellations) here:

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  • https://www.hellinger.com/en/family-constellation/

  • McQuillin, J. and Welford, E., 2013. How many people are gathered here? Group work and family constellation theory. Transactional Analysis Journal, 43(4), pp.352-365.

  • Welford, E., 2019. Healing the fallout from transgenerational trauma: Supporting clients in making peace with their history. Transactional Analysis Journal, 49(4), pp.324-338.

  • Welford, E., 2014. Giving the dead their rightful place: Grief work with the family system. Transactional Analysis Journal, 44(4), pp.320-333.

  • Salters, D., 2013. Sandplay and family constellation: An integration with transactional analysis theory and practice. Transactional Analysis Journal, 43(3), pp.224-239

  • Chiesa, C., 2014. On the seashore of an endless world, children play: Using transactional analysis in play therapy with children. Transactional Analysis Journal, 44(2), pp.128-141.

  • .Chiesa, C., 2012. Scripts in the sand: Sandplay in transactional analysis psychotherapy with children. Transactional Analysis Journal, 42(4), pp.285-293.

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If you use this tool in your own work, I simply ask that you credit me as the creator and include a link back to my website.

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Note - this tool is designed for a PC/Desktop and not a phone.

It is also a work in progress so may have glitches!

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Load the tool

Note - this tool is designed for a PC/
Desktop and not a phone

 

Getting Oriented

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The tool has three main areas:

 

Left-hand side: This is where you’ll find representatives and entanglement image cards.

 

Centre: This is your main working space – where the constellation takes shape.

 

Actions (lower down): These help you move, rotate, resize, and work with what you’ve placed in the centre.

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NOTE: the Load and Save buttons aren’t active yet.

Adding Representatives

 

  • On the left-hand side, open the Representatives section.

  • Clicking a representative will place it into the centre.

  • This includes options like Paternal Line and Maternal Line, alongside generational figures.

  • To remove a representative from the centre, simply double-click it.

  • You can rename any representative/entanglement by clicking the Rename button and relabelling it – this helps personalise the constellation.

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Adding Images to Representatives

 

  • Once a representative is in the centre, you can add an image to them.

  • Image cards are available on the left and can be scrolled through.

  • To add one, select an image and place it directly onto a representative.

  • Images can be resized using the small square handle at the bottom.

  • To remove an image, double-click it.

  • These images are especially useful with clients, opening space to explore unconscious process and what drew them to a particular image.

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Adding Your Own Generation

  • You can include your own generation within the constellation.

  • These icons work in the same way as the others and can also be renamed.

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Working with Entanglements

  • The Entanglements section on the left contains symbols for disruptions or difficulties within the family system.

  • These can be clicked into the centre, moved around, and renamed.

  • As you work, it can be helpful to reflect on the feelings linked to each entanglement and who they might belong to in the system.

  • Renaming entanglements allows them to hold different meanings or themes as the work unfolds.

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