Genogram
A genogram is a visual representation of your family relationships and history. Unlike a traditional family tree, it includes information about the nature and quality of relationships, patterns, and significant themes across generations.
Gather Materials: Paper and pencil or digital drawing tool
1. Draw a circle or square in the center of your page, which represents you.
2. Draw your immediate family members using the following shapes: Square for men, circle for women, and diamond for nonbinary people. Put every generation in its own line, with your siblings in the same horizontal line as you, your parents on a horizontal line above, and any children below.
3, Connect each family member with horizontal and vertical lines. Use solid lines for strong/close relationships and dashed lines to indicate more distant, or estranged, relationships. Using the same approach, connect your extended family around your immediate family. Prioritize family members relevant to you.
4. Using the same approach, connect your extended family around your immediate family. Prioritize family members relevant to you.
5. Now, in addition to the solid and dashed lines drawn, add another solid line for strong relationships or a zigzag over the connecting line for conflicted relationships.
6. You can create your own symbols to represent themes or other aspects of your family (make sure to include a key). For example, denoting alcohol use disorder with an asterisk.
7. If possible, you can add date of birth, date of death, occupation or other details next to each family member.
Reflection
Having completed the genogram, answer the following questions to reflect on it:
Do you recognise any patterns in your genogram?
2. Outline any notes you would like to share with your therapist about your genogram of the process of creating it.
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