How ISCA Came To Be: A Short History

Discussions about an international association for systemic constellations were initiated many years ago by members of the IAG (roughly translated as The International Working Group for Systemic Resolution in the Tradition of Bert Hellinger). Under the leadership of Heinrich Breuer, the mainly German IAG was eager to investigate the possibility of creating an international association.

At the 2005 International Congress in Cologne, Heinrich Breuer, Gunthard Weber, Albrecht Mahr, Jakob Schneider and Hunter Beaumont convened a meeting attended by over 80 people, representing all the countries attending the conference. The goal was to assess the interest in creating an international organisation, which the participants unanimously agreed to pursue. Concerns about criteria and the need for an inclusive vision were expressed and agreed upon.

Heinrich Breuer convened a second meeting in Cologne in June 2006. Based on clear evidence of interest in the global community, a steering committee of volunteers was formed to develop the proposal for a new association, composed of Hunter Beaumont (Germany), Heinrich Breuer (Germany), Gerard Fossat (France), Milena Karlinska (Poland), Annouche Katzeff (Belgium), Constanze Potschka-Lang (France), Katharina Stresius (Germany), Marta Thorsheim (Norway) and Richard Wallstein (England) with Richard as Chairman.

The proposal was presented at the 2007 International Congress in Cologne. It included a name for the organisation: the “International Systemic Constellation Association (ISCA)”, discussed issues of membership criteria, curriculum, and website development.

The two general meetings clearly indicated the international community's commitment to:

• An inclusive association;

• Supporting excellence without controlling its members;

• Multi-cultural and interdisciplinary;

• Networking, dialogue and diversity;

• An infrastructure supportive of the whole and the individual;

• Supporting the field,

• Not-for-profit.

In May 2007, the proposal was presented to the “Founding Assembly of ISCA”: a group of 80 people from around the world, following the close of the International Congress in Cologne. The Assembly voted unanimously to proceed with creating an Association in accordance with the committee’s “proposal”, hereafter known as the Charter of ISCA.

Hunter Beaumont, Richard Wallstein and Constanze Potschka-Lang were elected as the first Board of ISCA in the positions of President, Vice President and Treasurer respectively. The IAG donated €3,500 as a start-up fund.

The draft charter was reworked to build a lasting structure and meet the requirements of German law, under which the Charter resides, while keeping true to the spirit of the Founding Assembly.

ISCA could not have been established without the generous support of many people. Everyone working on this project has generously donated time, expertise and money. On behalf of its members, ISCA expresses thanks for their generosity and dedication.