Recognize family patterns.
Structured like a family tree chart, a genogram adds visual line patterns and symbols to represent family relationships. The genogram helps to recognize family patterns such as naming patterns, average life span, occupations and medical history. They are popular among family and behavioral therapists to chart behavior or emotional relationships. Information researched for the chart depends on the desired outcome, and a genogram can be simple or complex. Although you can create symbols, a standard format is available for printing and is linked in the Resources section.
Instructions
1. Place the index person's name inside the appropriate gender symbol on the genogram. The symbol for a male is a square, and the symbol for a female is a circle. The "index person" could be yourself or any person who is the subject of the genogram. The symbol for the index person is a double line and should be drawn at the bottom and center of a sheet of unlined paper.
2. Write the father of the index person in a square above and to the left of the index person's name.
3. Write the mother of the index person in a circle above and to the right of the index person's name.
4. Connect the index person's parents. If the parents were married, draw a straight, horizontal line connecting them on the genogram. If they were not married but living together, draw a dashed line. If they weren't married and didn't live together, draw a dash-dot line. Refer to a genogram symbols key for line patterns that represent other relationships, including "one-night stands" and rape or forced relationships.
5. Draw a vertical line connecting the index person to the center of the horizontal line that connects that person's parents.
6. Add relevant symbols depicting the emotional relationships between each parent and the index person. For instance, a single line drawn from the index person to the father represents a plain or normal relationship. A double line represents a close relationship. Consult the genogram symbols key for many line patterns representing emotional relationships.
7. Repeat the process for more generations.
Tags: index person, emotional relationships, index person name, line patterns, person name