Carol said that in 2004, nearly 200 people who had participated in the arrangement of Heeringer family system signed their names and declared "stay away from Heeringer". There are also many people who criticize Hellinger for driving people crazy, leading to mental problems such as psychological entanglement and even suicide.

A netizen named "Athera" in South Africa, after participating in the arrangement of the family system, thought that he had suffered a big loss:

"I am ashamed. I have participated in workshops arranged by the family system. Just attending a one-day seminar cost me thousands of dollars. The result not only didn't help, but also hurt, because my family said a lot of bad things about our family, which were actually unfounded, but I believed it at that time! I'm not saying that understanding family structure and family history can't influence people, but workshops are not like that at all, but based on a set of so-called' universal laws' ... "

These situations are not uncommon in "new age" psychotherapy such as "inner child", hypnosis, energy breathing, and some spiritual growth courses.

Carol said that participants have serious brain problems or psychological problems, and after going through various superstitious rituals, they are likely to be hurt rather than helped.