Inclusion of disability
A teenager who had not spoken for years agreed to a short series of individual constellations – and started talking again. A blind woman impressed me as the most authentic and precise representative I have ever experienced. She seemed to feel everything. I myself took on the roles of mentally and physically disabled people several times.
I learned surprising things about the function of their disabilities. Like any serious destiny, they seem to be linked to the inner balance of their families. I saw that no one is to blame for a disability – there are no guilty parties. On the contrary, there is an achievement to be recognised. It is unique, just as every single disability is incomparable and unique. I have also seen that relatives or carers often suffer more than the disabled themselves. Why they do this seemed to be linked to their own place in the family of their childhood.
From this perspective, the word inclusion (‘take in’, ‘include’ instead of ‘exclude’) takes on a different meaning. It is clearly not about eagerly pushing disabled people into an unreflective ‘normality’, mothering them all over and encouraging them to the point of exhaustion. Rather, it is about seeing their achievements in life and perceiving them as people with a special function. What do they need to get in touch with their own strength in the face of their disability? Which areas of life can and do they want to explore independently of their disability, and which ones might become accessible to them precisely because of their disability?
Constellation work seems to be ‘barrier-free’ in a certain sense. It deals with a field of resonance that encompasses the body, the world of feelings and thoughts, and thus the whole of perception. It is suitable for people with both physical and mental disabilities. Constellation work does not rely primarily on the rational abilities of its clients, but on their open hearts. My son certainly opened my eyes to this. He was born with multiple disabilities and is now a young adult living an intense life in a wheelchair of his own choosing. He says, ‘There’s nothing wrong with that. We are people like everyone else. We are just here.
If you are a person with a disability, a relative or an institution affected by disability and you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me.
