How Do You Do A Genogram?
A genogram is similar to a family tree, but it contains additional information about the mental, physical and emotional state of family members. Once established, the genogram serves as a valuable resource for tracking medical conditions from one generation to the next and makes it easy to see connections that may go unnoticed if they are not written down. Genograms may provide clues useful in diagnosis and treatment of disorders. Step 1 Begin with yourself and your immediate family. Draw a basic chart with you and your spouse on the bottom. Draw a square on the left side of the page for the male and a circle for the female. Connect the two with a straight line (see Resources for graphic representation of charts). Step 2 Move up a level and place the parents of the husband above his name with his father to the left and mother to the right. Place the wife’s parents above her name. Connect with a solid line. Step 3 Place children under the parents by drawing a vertical line connecting th
