The term “Genogram” refers to a visual representation that contains clinical information about a person’s family tree, history, and relationships of the people in the family and their pattern of organization. This representation is useful to construct in a way that allows all family members to see more in-depth details of what is drawn about the family and each member because it is a “good opportunity to pinpoint and label family members’ strengths” (Carr, 2012) to show information about a person’s genetic history. It provides more extensive information showing the behavior patterns and medical history of a family over several generations which can help assess the risk of developing health problems.
Origin of Genogram
Genogram is also known as the “family diagram”. However, this concept goes beyond a “traditional family tree” through an individual’s position in the “hereditary” and ongoing “family relationships” (Carr, 2012). The positioning of a person in the family is analyzed by allowing the therapist to visualize “social and psychological” patterns that keep on repeating among multiple generations. In the 1970s, Dr. Murray Bowen “developed the concept of genogram” which he tend to name a “family diagram” as according to Bowen, “families are fundamentally emotional systems” (Carr, 2012). Although Bowen did not claim to know where the notion of genograms came from, he asserted that he was not the one who invented this concept. Initially, Bowen used it as a therapeutic tool to rely on normative assumptions about users to analyze “hereditary” and “psychological” factors that “punctuate relationships” within a family (The Genogram – GenoPro, n.d.). Furthermore, it was first used and publicized by Monica McGoldrick and Randy Gerson when they published a pamphlet displaying the “basic symbols” that were being used for family diagrams in 1985, particularly in clinical settings.
Genogram in Therapy
Genograms are used in a variety of fields including medicine and therapy because they are used as an effective tool to develop reflective practice and work with families. Murray Bowen was the first person who use the concept of genogram in the 1970s in family therapy and systemic therapy (Carr, 2012). A genogram includes information that helps clients as well as therapists to understand patterns of behavior, emotional dynamics, and communication styles within the family to visualize relationships beyond bloodlines. Genograms allow clinicians to explore family relationships and dynamics across multiple generations because they allow clinicians to gather objective information from clients and their families. Clinicians can use genograms to help view the client’s issues in the broader context of their culture of origin, marital relationships, and family relationships.
As genograms are written through the lens of their creator, interpretations may vary by examining family patterns. Genograms help clinicians and therapists underline significant issues to discuss during counselling sessions and gain insights into the clients’ and their families’ challenges. The patterns that genograms map out include issues related to mental health, marital life, or unhealthy coping mechanisms of a client to understand the psychological and emotional dynamics of the family. For instance, genograms contain a wealth of information such as exploring behavioral patterns as instead of merely stating that “John and Dianne are married” a genogram might state that “John and Dianne are married but they are emotionally distant” reflecting the patterns of their marital issues. Thus, by mapping out several generations, genograms show emotional distance or closeness between members of the family by providing a broader context and a more natural structure for the therapeutic assessment of the clients.
In a nutshell, genograms or family diagrams have become a valuable tool for understanding the dynamics, relationships, and patterns of families across generations because this visual representation allows clinicians or therapists to explore more than just the lineage of the family. Moreover, genograms provide insights into psychological and social aspects as well as the positioning of a person in family life.
References
Carr, A. (2012). Family therapy: Concepts, process and practice. John Wiley & Sons.
The Genogram—GenoPro. (n.d.). https://genopro.com/genogram/
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