Health Constellations: Revealing the Hidden Roots of Illness
Have you ever tried everything to fix a health issue—doctors, specialists, elimination diets, supplements—and yet the symptoms linger? For many of my vegan and vegetarian clients, the story is all too familiar. Perhaps it’s bloating that doesn’t make sense, energy crashes that appear out of nowhere, or hormonal chaos that seems to laugh in the face of “perfect” nutrition.
This is often where Health Constellations can open a new door.
The intuitive teacher Caroline Myss often says that illness shows up in our energy long before it shows up in our body. In my experience, she’s right. The way we think, the emotions we suppress, the stories we carry, and even the relationships we cling to—all of these shape our physical wellbeing.
What Are Health Constellations?
Health Constellations are an extension of Family Constellations therapy, a systemic approach developed by Bert Hellinger in the late 1980s. While Family Constellations shine a light on inherited patterns within family systems, Health Constellations bring this same perspective to physical health.
The body is not just a set of organs and systems. It is also a messenger, carrying what has been left unspoken—grief, trauma, stress, or unresolved family dynamics. Sometimes these imprints don’t even begin with us but echo through generations, appearing as symptoms or illness today.
As trauma expert Bessel van der Kolk reminds us, “The body keeps the score.” Health Constellations create a space to explore what that score really means.
How Does a Health Constellation Work?
A constellation can be facilitated in a group or one-to-one setting:
In a group, you share the issue or symptom you’d like to explore—perhaps endometriosis, gut issues, or thyroid imbalance. Other participants may then “represent” parts of your system: a family member, your digestive tract, or even the illness itself. These representatives often begin to sense and express feelings or postures that reveal hidden dynamics.
In a one-to-one session, objects or floor markers take the place of people, but the principle is the same. The “field” makes visible what was previously invisible—grief, suppressed anger, or unspoken family pain.
As a facilitator, I guide the process gently. Sometimes all it takes is a healing sentence, a small acknowledgement of what has been unseen, for the body to release its grip and for relief to emerge.
What Can It Help With?
Many clients turn to Health Constellations when conventional or nutritional approaches alone have not explained or resolved their symptoms. It can be particularly supportive for:
Digestive issues – bloating, IBS, SIBO, or food intolerances (common in plant-based clients who feel “they must be doing something wrong”).
Hormonal imbalances – including PMDD, irregular cycles, thyroid dysfunction, or menopausal symptoms.
Fatigue and autoimmunity – when energy is depleted or the immune system feels constantly “switched on.”
Unexplained symptoms – when all tests come back “normal” but the body still suffers.
Emotional-physical overlap – mood swings, grief, or anxiety that come hand-in-hand with physical illness.
Instead of asking, “What’s wrong with me?” Health Constellations invite a deeper question:
“What is my body trying to show me, or what am I carrying that doesn’t belong to me?”
Beyond the Family System: Rapid Core Healing
Not every health challenge comes from inherited family patterns. Many illnesses and imbalances are also shaped by personal traumas—childhood neglect, abusive relationships, sudden losses, or any moment that left deep scars in the nervous system.
This is where Rapid Core Healing (RCH) comes in. RCH is a therapeutic approach that extends the insights of Constellations to address personal trauma directly.
Here’s how it works:
We identify the root of a painful reaction—whether it’s panic, feelings of worthlessness, or the despair that can surface in conditions like PMDD.
Through a guided process, you reconnect with the part of yourself that was wounded, offering the protection, compassion, or resolution that was missing at the time.
The nervous system completes the unfinished story. The trauma imprint softens, and the system recalibrates.
Together, Health Constellations and Rapid Core Healing provide a complete spectrum of healing: inherited burdens from the family system, and personal traumas that shape your individual health story.
Why This Matters for Vegans and Vegetarians
I work with many people who have chosen a plant-based diet for ethical or health reasons. They are committed, careful with nutrition, and yet… their bodies still speak in symptoms.
This is not failure. It’s not about “not getting enough protein” or “being low in iron” (though, of course, nutritional assessments are important). Often, the missing piece is that the body is carrying unresolved emotional or systemic burdens that food alone cannot fix.
When these hidden threads are brought into the light, people often describe feeling not just physically better but emotionally freer—as though a weight has lifted that they didn’t even know they were carrying.
What to Expect
You don’t have to relive painful memories or talk endlessly about the past for this work to be effective. In fact, very little needs to be said. Clients often describe the process as gentle, surprising, and even mysterious—yet profoundly relieving.
Healing is less about “fixing” what’s broken and more about honouring what has been unseen. As Bert Hellinger once said, “When we honour the past, we find peace in the present.”
And when the body is finally heard—its messages acknowledged and understood—healing becomes not only possible, but deeply transformative.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve been searching for answers to persistent health challenges—whether digestive, hormonal, or emotional—Health Constellations and Rapid Core Healing may offer the missing piece.
At Camilla Clare Holistic Health, I combine plant-based nutritional care with trauma-informed approaches like Constellations and Rapid Core Healing to help you move beyond symptoms into lasting wellbeing.
By Camilla Clare Brinkworth, BHSc Naturopathy, Grad Cert Human Nutrition – Naturopath, Nutritionist, and Trauma-Informed Practitioner
Camilla specialises in helping vegans and vegetarians overcome health challenges through evidence-based naturopathy, plant-based nutrition, and trauma healing. She integrates Family Constellations, Health Constellations, and Rapid Core Healing to address both the physical and emotional roots of illness.