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Genogram Symbols Printable Cheat Sheet

Every genogram symbol on one print-friendly page. Keep it at your desk, share it with students, or reference it during clinical sessions.

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Complete Genogram Symbol Reference

150+ symbols covering gender, vital status, partner relationships, parent-child connections, emotional overlays (positive, conflict, distance, abuse, focus), heritage patterns, medical categories, social class, religion, sexual orientation, and immigration markers.

Genogram Symbols Chart — Complete reference guide showing all genogram symbols including gender symbols (male, female, trans male, trans female, non-binary, intersex, pet), vital status (alive, deceased, pregnancy, miscarriage, abortion, stillbirth), partner relationships (marriage, engagement, life partner, cohabitation, dating, affair, one night stand), relationship status (separation, divorce, annulment, widowed, legal separation), parent-child connections (biological, adopted, foster, step child, surrogate, sperm donor, egg donor, fraternal and identical twins), emotional positive (harmony, friendship, close, love, in love, attachment, fused, limerence), emotional conflict (conflict, hostile, violence, hate, distrust, fused and conflict, close and hostile, distant and hostile), emotional distance (indifferent, distant, estranged, cutoff repaired, never met), emotional abuse and control (abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, physical neglect, emotional neglect, control, manipulative), emotional focus (focused on, focused on negatively, fan/admirer, jealous), heritage patterns, medical categories, social class, religion, sexual orientation, and immigration markers. Based on McGoldrick standard notation used by therapists and social workers.
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How to print or save as PDF: Press Ctrl+P (Windows) or Cmd+P (Mac). To save as PDF, select "Save as PDF" as your printer destination. The reference sections below are optimized for printing.

Genogram Symbols Quick Reference Card

Based on McGoldrick Standard Notation | genogramai.com

Person Symbols

Male
Female
Unknown
×
Deceased Male
Pregnancy
Miscarriage

Relationship Symbols

Marriage
//
Divorce
/
Separation
Cohabitation
Engagement

Emotional Overlays

Close
Fused / Enmeshed
Distant
Hostile / Conflict
Cutoff
Abuse
Focused On
Close-Hostile

Medical Indicators

Four-Quadrant System

Top-left: Heart Disease

Top-right: Diabetes

Bottom-left: Cancer

Bottom-right: Mental Health

Color Coding

Colors are assigned per genogram. There is no universal color standard, so always include a legend. Common assignments:

  • Cardiovascular conditions
  • Metabolic conditions
  • Respiratory conditions
  • Mental health conditions

How to Use This Reference

Print for Clinical Sessions

Print this reference and keep it at your desk during therapy, counseling, or social work sessions. Quick access to symbol meanings saves time and improves accuracy when building genograms with clients.

Share with Students

Educators can distribute this cheat sheet to social work, psychology, nursing, and counseling students. It provides a standardized reference that aligns with textbook notation and reduces confusion during coursework.

Use Alongside GenogramAI

While GenogramAI applies symbols automatically, having this reference nearby helps you verify your genogram and understand the AI's choices. It is especially helpful when reviewing complex family structures with multiple relationship types.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I print this genogram symbols reference for free?

Yes. This page is designed to be print-friendly. Use your browser's print function (Ctrl+P or Cmd+P) to print the Quick Reference Card section. The layout is optimized for standard letter and A4 paper sizes. There is no charge or registration required.

Are these genogram symbols standardized?

Yes. The symbols shown here follow the McGoldrick standardized genogram notation, which is the most widely used system in clinical practice, taught in social work, psychology, and family therapy programs worldwide. GenogramAI uses this same standard.

Can I use this cheat sheet for clinical sessions?

Absolutely. Many therapists, social workers, and counselors print this reference to keep at their desk during sessions. It is also useful for showing clients what the symbols on their genogram mean, improving collaborative understanding.

What is the four-quadrant system for medical genograms?

The four-quadrant system divides each person symbol into four sections (top-left, top-right, bottom-left, bottom-right). Each quadrant is assigned a medical condition. When a person has that condition, the corresponding quadrant is filled in with color. This creates a visual map of hereditary health patterns across the family.

How do I save this as a PDF?

Use your browser's print dialog (Ctrl+P or Cmd+P) and select "Save as PDF" as the destination instead of a printer. This will create a PDF file you can save to your computer and share with colleagues or students.

Related Resources

Full Symbol Guide

In-depth explanations of every symbol

Relationship Lines Guide

Visual reference for all line types

How to Read a Genogram

Step-by-step interpretation guide

Genogram Key & Legend

Complete genogram key reference

Simple Genogram Examples

See symbols in action

How to Make a Genogram

Step-by-step creation guide

Create Genograms with These Symbols Automatically

GenogramAI applies standard notation automatically — just describe your family in words

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