Book excerpt: A primer on the Family Constellations philosophy and its core principles that will inspire and empower readers to take ownership of their lives. Family Constellations begins with the premise: it did not start with me. Many of us become "entangled" with the unhappiness of those who came before us, unconsciously adopting destructive familial patterns of anxiety, depression, failure, and even illness and addiction in an attempt to "redo" the past and "fix" our families. Affirmations and exercises punctuate every chapter, created to help the reader actively engage with and experience the benefits of Family Constellations. Readers will also learn how to: Recognize family system patterns and disrupt them Heal the inner child and parent the adult self Release limiting beliefs and behaviors Dissolve trauma bonds that entangle them with the past Reconcile the past and the present, for a whole and integrated self Arrive at a place of personal peace within the family system Craft future-facing narratives that empower them to live authentically