Trial Review

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Trial registered on ANZCTR


Registration number
ACTRN12625000718448p
Ethics application status
Submitted, not yet approved
Date submitted
16/06/2025
Date registered
7/07/2025
Date last updated
20/07/2025
Date data sharing statement initially provided
7/07/2025
Type of registration
Prospectively registered

Titles & IDs
Public title
What Good Can One Session Do? Exploring the Effectiveness of Family Systemic Constellation Therapy in Individual Sessions
Scientific title
What Good Can One Session Do? An Exploratory Mixed-Method Study of Family Systemic Constellation Therapy in Individual Sessions in Adult Clients Presenting with Symptoms of Generalized Stress/Anxiety/Depression and Relational Issues
Secondary ID [1] 314724 0
NIL
Universal Trial Number (UTN)
Trial acronym
Linked study record

Health condition
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied:
Depression 337819 0
Anxiety 337820 0
Relational Issues 337822 0
Stress 337927 0
Condition category
Condition code
Mental Health 334159 334159 0 0
Depression
Mental Health 334160 334160 0 0
Anxiety

Intervention/exposure
Study type
Interventional
Description of intervention(s) / exposure
Intervention:

Each participant will receive one 60- to 90-minute FCT session in a private videoconference setting. Sessions will be conducted by one psychotherapist in private practice for 25 years, who is also a certified FCT practitioner (trained by FCT founder Bert Hellinger) with 20 years of FCT facilitation experience. Sessions will strictly adhere to the Individual Family Constellation Therapy (FCT) Session Procedure.

Individual Family Constellation Therapy (FCT) Session Procedure: The individual FCT session serves as the experiential core of the study.

1. Opening Interview:
The participating therapist (PT) opens the videoconference session with a warm check-in and reaffirmation of informed consent. The PT briefly explains the purpose and structure of the session and reminds the participant that they may pause or stop at any time.

A. Goal Clarification:
The PT engages the participant in a short, focused interview in which the participant shares their presenting issue from the Personal Questionnaire (PQ). The PT listens for key relationship dynamics, unresolved family trauma, systemic language, or recurring patterns. The PT inquires about known traumatic events or major challenges in the family history. This becomes the orienting center of the session. The PT then invites the participant to clarify their intention for the session, phrased as a goal.

B. Decision Making:
The PT, in collaboration with the participant, decides on which parts of the family system to work with.

2. Phenomenological Inquiry and Systemic Intervention:

A. Systemic Positioning:
The PT guides the participant to position physical objects (e.g., paper triangles) to spatially represent an inner image of their relationship with select family members, key figures, or abstract concepts (e.g., patriarchy, fear, guilt, higher self).

B. Systemic enquiry:
The PT invites the participant to observe their bodily sensations, emotional responses, and felt senses as they engage with the spatial configuration in the “Knowing Field.” Led by the participant’s somatic and verbal cues, the PT tracks strong emotions and emerging ancestral/relational patterns.

C. Spatial Reorganisation:
In a reflective dialogue, the PT facilitates the spatial reorganisation (re-ordering) of the physical objects (e.g., paper triangles) to explore systemic dynamics, often revealing deep emotional themes such as inherited burdens, unconscious loyalties, exclusion, interrupted belonging, hidden grief, or inherited guilt.

D. Application of Healing Sentences:
As systemic entanglements emerge, the PT may offer or co-create healing sentences. These are short, resonant phrases spoken aloud to acknowledge systemic truths, restore order, and to support emotional release, inner movement and systemic reconnection. These may include phrases such as:
“I see you. You belong.”
“You are the big one, I am the small one.”
“I am just the child. You are the parent.”
“I carry this for you with love, and now I give it back.”
“Please bless me if I go forward in life.”
“What happened to you was too much. I honour your fate.”

The PT may invite the participant to speak aloud or imagine these phrases internally and/or reflect on how they feel when hearing them. The PT may invite participant to imagine small relational movements (i.e., emotional steps or gestures such as turning toward or away, bowing, or stepping out of entanglement) to support the integration of the healing movements and sentences at the somatic and systemic level. The PT pays particular attention to the participant’s patterns of emotional charge and release, always moving toward expressions that reflect emotional shifts and somatic easing. Steps 2B through 2D are repeated as required.

E. Final Image:
The PT works with the participant to gently facilitate a shift toward a resolution in the participant’s spatial imagery. The final spatial outcome will reflect a sense of systemic balance, order, and/or acknowledgment to the extent possible (e.g., repositioning, including previously excluded members, affirming hierarchical orders).

4. Reflective Integration
As systemic movements begin to settle, the PT gently invites the participant to take in what they notice both in the relational (spatial) field and in their bodily sensations. The PT does not interpret but listens for meaning that emerges from within the participant’s own embodied knowing. The PT may invite the participant to engage in an optional short ritual (e.g., hand on heart, closing breath, symbolic gathering of the objects).

The PT invites the participant to reflect inwardly on the emotional and systemic insights gained and stay with the final feeling, which is generally a feeling of lightness, softness, or warmth, or a final healing sentence, or image of their rightful place in the family system. The PT may help the participant integrate these insights emotionally and cognitively, using grounding techniques as needed. The PT informs the participant that integration may continue in the days that follow.

5. Closing:
The PT reminds the participant of the follow-up resources available on the Aftercare Support and Referral Sheet provided in advance of the session by the Principal Investigator (PI). The PT informs the client that it is best to let the process settle naturally and to avoid discussing the process or journalling about it for at least three days. This is done to enable the session to be absorbed deeply in the unconscious mind without being hijacked by cognitive analysis and overthinking. The PT closes the session after ensuring the participant is in a sound emotional state.

6. Documentation:
The PT will document the session notes in a de-identified format, ensuring that no personally identifying information is recorded. Each entry should include the session date and a unique participant code. Notes will include session goals, key configurations and placements, major emotional or systemic themes, healing sentences used, and observed shifts. The PT will forward the session notes to the PI after the session. The session notes will then become part of the case data for thematic analysis in the study. The PI will monitor adherence to the intervention.
Intervention code [1] 331280 0
Other interventions
Comparator / control treatment
No Control Group
Control group
Uncontrolled

Outcomes
Primary outcome [1] 341811 0
Depression, Anxiety, Stress assessed together as a composite primary outcome
Timepoint [1] 341811 0
T1: At intake (baseline 1) T2: One week prior to the FCT session (baseline 2) T3: One month post-session T4: Three months post-session
Primary outcome [2] 341812 0
Well Being
Timepoint [2] 341812 0
T1: At intake (baseline 1) T2: One week prior to the FCT session (baseline 2) T3: One month post-session T4: Three months post-session
Primary outcome [3] 341996 0
Individuals’ subjective experiences of relationships within their key social systems (e.g., family, workplace, peer groups)
Timepoint [3] 341996 0
T1: At intake (baseline 1) T2: One week prior to the FCT session (baseline 2) T3: One month post-session T4: Three months post-session
Secondary outcome [1] 448759 0
Personal Questionnaire (PQ) Form
Timepoint [1] 448759 0
T1 - At intake (baseline 1) T2 - One week prior to Family Constellation Therapy Session (baseline 2) To enhance the validity and reliability of this research, a second baseline (T2) will be established one week prior to the FCT session. Using two baseline measurements will enhance the validity of research by improving the reliability of the data, identifying any pre-existing trends, and controlling for statistical artifacts like regression to the mean. A second baseline will verify the stability of participants' responses before any intervention, ensuring that observed changes can be more confidently attributed to the intervention itself rather than external fluctuations or measurement error. This approach aims to strengthen internal validity and support more accurate causal interpretations.
Secondary outcome [2] 449271 0
Participant Intake (T1) Interview Procedure (PIIP)
Timepoint [2] 449271 0
T1: At intake (baseline 1)
Secondary outcome [3] 449272 0
Participant Interview Procedure
Timepoint [3] 449272 0
T2 - One week prior to the Family Constellation Therapy Session Together with the quantitative data collected, the T1 and T2 PQ and interview data will form the client qualitative baseline.
Secondary outcome [4] 449273 0
Post-Session Change Interview Procedure (PSCIP)
Timepoint [4] 449273 0
T3- One Month Post FCT Session T4 - Three Months Post FCT Session

Eligibility
Key inclusion criteria
1) At least 18 years old and living in Australia;
2) Fluent in spoken and written English;
3) Seeking relief from self-reported stress, anxiety and/or depression and/or relationship issues;
4) If taking prescription psychiatric medication for anxiety or depression) the medication regime must be stabilised for at least three months;
5) Psychologically able and willing to forego counselling, psychotherapeutic/psychological/psychiatric intervention for the duration of the three-month study timeframe;
6) Willing to provide written informed consent prior to enrollment including permission to record the single facilitated intervention session and pre-and post-session interviews;
7) Able and willing to complete brief on-line self-report psychometric instruments and agree to participate in all pre- and post-session interviews;
8) Willing to engage in a single FCT session on a date offered by the psychotherapist;
9) Able to access the internet to complete and submit on-line questionnaire forms and comfortably use videoconference technology.
Minimum age
18 Years
Maximum age
No limit
Sex
Both males and females
Can healthy volunteers participate?
No
Key exclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria will include non-English speakers and vulnerable populations with a current or previous psychiatric crisis or severe mental disorder (i.e., active Psychosis, Bipolar Disorder, Borderline Personality Disorder, Paranoia, Schizophrenia, and Dissociative Identity Disorder) diagnosed by a health care professional. Additionally, victims of Domestic Violence will also be excluded due to their extreme vulnerability and safety concerns. Participants who have had a personal FCT session within the last 12 months will also be excluded.

Study design
Purpose of the study
Educational / counselling / training
Allocation to intervention
Non-randomised trial
Procedure for enrolling a subject and allocating the treatment (allocation concealment procedures)
Methods used to generate the sequence in which subjects will be randomised (sequence generation)
Masking / blinding
Open (masking not used)
Who is / are masked / blinded?



Intervention assignment
Single group
Other design features
Phase
Not Applicable
Type of endpoint/s
Efficacy
Statistical methods / analysis

Recruitment
Recruitment status
Not yet recruiting
Date of first participant enrolment
Anticipated
14/09/2025
Actual
Date of last participant enrolment
Anticipated
29/09/2025
Actual
Date of last data collection
Anticipated
31/03/2026
Actual
Sample size
Target
30
Accrual to date
Final
Recruitment in Australia
Recruitment state(s)
ACT,NSW,NT,QLD,SA,TAS,WA,VIC

Funding & Sponsors
Funding source category [1] 319215 0
Self funded/Unfunded
Name [1] 319215 0
Diane Rogers, PhD, Principal Investigator, Core Insights Institute
Country [1] 319215 0
Australia
Primary sponsor type
Individual
Name
Diane Rogers, PhD, Core Insights Institute
Address
Country
Australia
Secondary sponsor category [1] 321683 0
Individual
Name [1] 321683 0
Barna Konkolÿ Thege, PhD, Co-Investigator, Waypoint Research Institute
Address [1] 321683 0
Country [1] 321683 0
Canada
Other collaborator category [1] 283548 0
Individual
Name [1] 283548 0
Yildiz Sethi, MA, Participating Therapist, Family Constellations Pty Ltd,
Address [1] 283548 0
Country [1] 283548 0
Australia

Ethics approval
Ethics application status
Submitted, not yet approved
Ethics committee name [1] 317795 0
Bellberry Human Research Ethics Committee A
Ethics committee address [1] 317795 0
Ethics committee country [1] 317795 0
Australia
Date submitted for ethics approval [1] 317795 0
07/07/2025
Approval date [1] 317795 0
Ethics approval number [1] 317795 0

Summary
Brief summary
Trial website
Trial related presentations / publications
Public notes

Contacts
Principal investigator
Name 142178 0
Dr Diane Rogers, PhD
Address 142178 0
Core Insights Institute, PO Box 1065, Edgecliff NSW 2027
Country 142178 0
Australia
Phone 142178 0
+61 0426469222
Fax 142178 0
Email 142178 0
[email protected]
Contact person for public queries
Name 142179 0
Diane Rogers, PhD
Address 142179 0
Core Insights Institute, PO Box 1065, Edgecliff NSW 2027
Country 142179 0
Australia
Phone 142179 0
+61 0426469222
Fax 142179 0
Email 142179 0
[email protected]
Contact person for scientific queries
Name 142180 0
Diane Rogers, PhD
Address 142180 0
Core Insights Institute, PO Box 1065, Edgecliff NSW 2027
Country 142180 0
Australia
Phone 142180 0
+61 0426469222
Fax 142180 0
Email 142180 0
[email protected]

Data sharing statement
Will the study consider sharing individual participant data?
Yes
Will there be any conditions when requesting access to individual participant data?
Persons/groups eligible to request access:
• Researchers
Conditions for requesting access:
• Yes, conditions apply:
• Requires review on a case-by-case basis by the trial custodian, sponsor or data sharing committee
• Requires a scientifically sound proposal or protocol
• Requires approval by an ethics committee
• Requires a data sharing agreement between data requester and trial custodian or sponsor
What individual participant data might be shared?
• All de-identified individual participant data
What types of analyses could be done with individual participant data?
• Systematic reviews and meta-analyses
• Studies testing whether findings can be repeated or confirmed
• Teaching research methods or developing new statistical techniques
When can requests for individual participant data be made (start and end dates)?
From:
After publication of main results
To:
No end date
Where can requests to access individual participant data be made, or data be obtained directly?
• Email of trial custodian, sponsor or committee: [email protected]

• Postal address: Core Insights Institute, PO Box 1065, Edgecliff, NSW 2027

Are there extra considerations when requesting access to individual participant data?
No


What supporting documents are/will be available?

TypeCitationLinkEmailOther DetailsAttachment
Study protocol    Family Constellation Therapy in Individual Sessions.pdf
Other    BKT CV CV - B. Konkoly Thege, 2025.pdf
Other    DR CV CV - Diane Rogers, PhD 2025 .pdf
Other    YS CV CV - Yildiz Sethi 2025.pdf


Results publications and other study-related documents

Documents added manually
No documents have been uploaded by study researchers.

Documents added automatically
No additional documents have been identified.