Which term refers to 'pictures' of family dynamics and relationships used in some family systems approaches?

• A. Family Constellations
• B. Immediacy
• C. Fictional Finalism
• D. Holism

Answer: (A)

Family Constellations describe using visual representations to map how family members relate to each other. In this approach, people or symbols stand in for family members and are arranged in a space to form a picture of the family system. This spatial lineup makes underlying patterns—like loyalties, exclusions, or entanglements across generations—visible. The goal is to reveal how these dynamics contribute to present difficulties, so the focus is on the relationships and systemic forces rather than on blaming a single person.

Immediacy is about addressing what’s happening in the here-and-now between the therapist and client, not about creating pictures of family dynamics. Fictional Finalism relates to Adlerian ideas about the goals guiding behavior, not a method for visualizing family relationships. Holism is a broad stance that treats the system as a whole, but it doesn’t specify the practice of forming a spatial representation of family dynamics.