Genogram example · Clinical & therapeutic
Substance Abuse Family Dynamics
Quick answer
At a glance
| This example | |
|---|---|
| Generations | 3 |
| Family members | 11 (6 male, 5 female) |
| Birth years | 1930 to 1996 |
| Deceased | 3 |
| Index person | Ryan Sullivan |
| Emotional relationships | Close, Distant, Conflict and Fused/Enmeshed |
| Conditions marked | Anxiety Conditions and Depressive Disorders |
| Category | Clinical & therapeutic |
| Tags | Clinical, Medical, Educational |
About this genogram
A three-generation genogram depicting multigenerational alcoholism and substance abuse patterns, including codependency dynamics, recovery trajectories, and overdose death. Illustrates how substance use disorders transmit through families alongside enabling and codependent relationship patterns.
Clinical analysis
Overview
This 3-generation genogram maps 11 family members with birth years spanning from 1930 to 1996, comprising 6 males and 5 females (3 deceased). The genogram tracks 3 medical/psychological condition categories and 5 emotional relationship types across 6 documented dyads. The index patient is Ryan Sullivan (b. 1990), bartender.
Generation by generation
The family system encompasses 3 generations with distinct patterns at each level. The oldest generation includes Earl, Betty, Albert and 1 other, with 2 presenting documented conditions. The middle generation includes Patrick, Maria, Kevin and 1 other, with 3 presenting documented conditions. The youngest generation includes Ryan, Sean, Brittany, with 2 presenting documented conditions.
Emotional relationships
Emotional relationship mapping reveals 1 abuse_physical relationship, 2 fused/enmeshed relationships, 1 distant relationship, 1 conflictual relationship, 1 close relationship. Specific patterns include a abuse_physical relationship between Earl and Betty, a fused/enmeshed relationship between Betty and Earl, a fused/enmeshed relationship between Maria and Patrick. The co-occurrence of fused and conflictual relationships suggests a family system with poorly differentiated boundaries, where emotional intensity oscillates between enmeshment and discord.
Health conditions
Medical and psychological conditions are documented in 7 of 11 family members (64%). Substance appear in 4 members (Earl, Patrick, Kevin...). Anxiety-spectrum conditions appear in 3 members (Betty, Maria, Sean), affecting 2 females and 1 male. Depressive disorders appear in 2 members (Betty, Kevin), affecting 1 female and 1 male. Comorbidity is observed in 2 family members, with Betty presenting 2 concurrent condition categories. The multigenerational prevalence of substance suggests both genetic predisposition and possible environmental or behavioral transmission pathways.
Clinical perspective
From a clinical perspective, this genogram offers rich material for therapeutic exploration. The presenting concerns of Ryan Sullivan can be contextualized within 3 generations of family patterns. Bowen family systems theory would note the intergenerational transmission of both symptomatic presentations and relational patterns. This case is particularly suited for exploring differentiation of self, family projection processes, and the way anxiety moves through the family emotional system.
How do you read the Substance Abuse Family Dynamics genogram?
- 1
Find each person and generation
Squares are males and circles are females, and each row is one generation, oldest at the top. This one has 6 males and 5 females across 3 generations. - 2
Check the status markers
Markers on a symbol add facts about that person: Deceased (X) and Index Patient (Arrow). 3 people are marked deceased. The index person, the focus of the assessment, is Ryan Sullivan. - 3
Follow the family lines
Horizontal lines join partners and vertical lines drop to their children, born left to right in birth order. This genogram uses Marriage and Parent-Child lines. - 4
Read the emotional lines
Lines drawn between two people show how they relate: Close, Distant, Conflict and Fused/Enmeshed. Notice who has several lines converging on them, and which patterns repeat from one generation to the next. - 5
Read the shading
Shaded symbols mark health conditions: Anxiety Conditions and Depressive Disorders. Trace each line of descent to see where a condition recurs and where it stops.
Genogram symbols used in this example
| Symbol | Type | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Male (Square) | Person Symbols | A square represents a male family member in standard genogram notation. |
| Female (Circle) | Person Symbols | A circle represents a female family member in standard genogram notation. |
| Deceased (X) | Status Markers | An X drawn through the symbol indicates the person is deceased. |
| Index Patient (Arrow) | Status Markers | An arrow pointing to a person identifies them as the index patient — the individual who is the focus of the clinical assessment. |
| Marriage | Structural Relationships | A solid horizontal line connecting two individuals represents a marriage or committed partnership. |
| Parent-Child | Structural Relationships | A vertical line descending from a couple line to a child symbol represents a parent-child relationship. |
| Close | Emotional Relationships | Two parallel lines between individuals represent an emotionally close relationship. |
| Distant | Emotional Relationships | A dotted line represents an emotionally distant or disengaged relationship. |
| Conflict | Emotional Relationships | A zigzag line between individuals represents an openly conflictual relationship. |
| Fused/Enmeshed | Emotional Relationships | Three parallel lines with a zigzag overlay represent a fused relationship — emotionally intense with poor boundaries. |
| Anxiety Conditions | Medical Conditions | Shading in the genogram symbol indicates anxiety-spectrum diagnoses (GAD, panic disorder, phobias, OCD). |
| Depressive Disorders | Medical Conditions | Shading indicates depressive conditions (major depression, dysthymia, bipolar disorder). |
Build a genogram like this one
Example prompt
- 1
Start from the dashboard
Sign in to GenogramAI and choose Create with AI (paid plans), or open a blank genogram and use Ask AI (any plan). To start from this exact chart instead, use Open as template. - 2
Describe your family
Paste a description like the one above, with your own names, dates, relationships and health history. - 3
Check and adjust
Edit people and lines by hand, or ask the AI for one change at a time. - 4
Export
Download a PNG on the free plan. PDF and SVG export are on paid plans.
The free plan includes 2 genograms and 5 AI credits a month. See the AI genogram creator for what else it can do.
Related resources
- Learn more about how genograms in family therapy sessions use multigenerational mapping like this example.
- This example illustrates concepts from Bowen family systems theory including intergenerational transmission.
- Explore how attachment theory genograms map relational bonds across generations.
- The fused relationship symbol indicates enmeshed boundaries in this family system.
- The distant relationship symbol in this genogram indicates emotional disengagement.
Frequently asked questions
What clinical patterns does the Substance Abuse Family Dynamics genogram reveal?
The Substance Abuse Family Dynamics genogram maps multigenerational transmission of psychological patterns, emotional dynamics, and relationship structures. Clinicians use it to identify recurring cycles of behavior, attachment styles, and communication patterns that may inform diagnosis and treatment planning in family therapy.
How do therapists use the Substance Abuse Family Dynamics genogram in sessions?
In clinical practice, the Substance Abuse Family Dynamics genogram serves as both an assessment and intervention tool. Therapists use it to externalize family patterns, help clients visualize inherited dynamics, identify triangulation and enmeshment, and develop insight into how past generations influence present-day functioning and relationships.
What genogram symbols are used in the Substance Abuse Family Dynamics example?
This genogram uses Male (Square), Female (Circle), Deceased (X), Index Patient (Arrow), Marriage, Parent-Child, Close, Distant, Conflict, Fused/Enmeshed, Anxiety Conditions and Depressive Disorders. All of them follow standard genogram notation, so the chart reads the same way in any genogram program or textbook.
Can I build a genogram like the Substance Abuse Family Dynamics example?
Yes. Open GenogramAI, choose Create with AI on the dashboard (paid plans) or open a blank genogram and use Ask AI in the editor (any plan), and describe the family in plain words: who is in it, how they are related, key dates and the relationships or health conditions you want to show. The AI draws the symbols and lines, and you can then edit by hand or ask for one change at a time. A family of 11 people like this one takes a short paragraph to describe. The free plan includes 2 genograms and 5 AI credits a month, with PNG export.
About this example
