The divorce symbol in genograms is shown by drawing two diagonal slashes (//) through the horizontal marriage line connecting two partners. This notation immediately communicates that a once-established marriage has been legally dissolved, providing critical context for understanding family structure and relational patterns.
Divorce
Two slashes //
Separation
One slash /
Divorce: two slashes through the marriage line; Separation: one slash
How Divorce Is Shown in a Genogram
In standard genogram notation, divorce is indicated by drawing two short diagonal slashes (//) through the horizontal marriage line that connects the two partners. A single slash (/) indicates separation—the couple is no longer together but has not legally divorced. This distinction is clinically meaningful, as separated but not-yet-divorced couples may still have unresolved attachment dynamics.
The divorce date is typically written near the slashes, often below the marriage line. Common notation includes "s. 2010" for separation and "d. 2012" for divorce, alongside the original marriage date "m. 2005." This timeline immediately reveals how long the marriage lasted and how much time elapsed between separation and finalization.
Standard Notation
According to McGoldrick, Gerson, and Petry: "Two slashes through the horizontal line indicate divorce. A single slash indicates separation." The marriage line remains visible beneath the slashes, preserving the record that the relationship once existed as a legal marriage.
Legal vs. Emotional Separation
Genogram notation distinguishes between the legal and emotional dimensions of marital dissolution. A single slash indicates an in-fact separation—partners living apart but still legally married. Two slashes indicate legal divorce has been finalized. In clinical practice, some therapists add a third dimension: emotional divorce, where a couple remains legally married but has emotionally disengaged.
Separation (One Slash)
Living apart but still legally married. May indicate a trial separation, interim arrangement, or a couple that never finalized divorce.
Divorce (Two Slashes)
Legally dissolved marriage. The relationship has been formally ended through the court system. Both partners are free to remarry.
Annulment
Some practitioners use three slashes or a specific annotation to indicate annulment, where the marriage is declared to have never legally existed.
Emotional Divorce
Some clinicians note emotional disengagement even within a legal marriage, using annotations like "emotionally separated" near the marriage line.
Multiple Divorces
When a person has divorced and remarried multiple times, each marriage and divorce is recorded sequentially. The earliest relationship is typically placed furthest from the person's symbol, with the most recent closest. Each ended marriage shows the appropriate slashes with dates. This creates a visual timeline of the person's relational history.
For families with complex marital histories, the genogram may become visually dense. Practitioners should maintain clarity by keeping consistent spacing and date notation. In GenogramAI, the layout automatically adjusts to accommodate multiple relationships without visual overlap.
Clinical Significance
Divorce patterns across generations are among the most revealing features of a genogram:
Generational divorce patterns: When divorce repeats across generations, it may indicate learned relational patterns, insecure attachment styles, or family beliefs about marriage
Impact on children: The age of children at the time of divorce correlates with different developmental impacts; noting these dates on the genogram helps clinicians assess risk
Remarriage patterns: How quickly a person remarries after divorce may indicate emotional processing (or avoidance) of the previous relationship
Loyalty conflicts: Children of divorce often face split loyalties that affect their own relationship formation; genograms make these dynamics visible
Custody arrangements: Post-divorce family structure can be annotated on the genogram to show which parent has primary custody
Pattern Recognition
When mapping divorces, look for intergenerational patterns: If a client's parents and grandparents all divorced, explore the family narratives around marriage. Is divorce seen as failure, freedom, or simply normal? These beliefs profoundly shape the client's own approach to commitment and conflict resolution in relationships.
Special Cases
Annulment
An annulment legally erases the marriage as if it never occurred. In genogram notation, some practitioners use three slashes or a specific "annulled" annotation. Despite the legal fiction, the relationship may have been emotionally significant and should generally be included in the genogram, especially if children were born during the marriage.
Abandonment
When a partner disappears without formal separation or divorce, practitioners typically use a single slash with a notation such as "abandoned" or "left." The absent partner remains on the genogram because their departure—and the manner of it—profoundly affects the remaining family members.
Disappeared Partner
In cases of political disappearance, war, or unexplained absence, the partner's status may be unknown. A question mark can be placed near their symbol, and the relationship line may show a single slash with a note. This ambiguous loss creates unique clinical challenges because the family cannot fully grieve or move forward.
Divorce Date Placement
Divorce and separation dates appear alongside marriage dates on or near the horizontal line. A typical notation reads: "m. 1998, s. 2010, d. 2012" — meaning married in 1998, separated in 2010, divorced in 2012. This compact timeline immediately conveys the relationship's arc: twelve years of marriage, two years of separation before finalization.
What is the difference between one slash and two slashes?
One slash (/) indicates separation — the couple is living apart but still legally married. Two slashes (//) indicate divorce — the marriage has been legally dissolved. This distinction matters clinically because separated couples may still reconcile, while divorced couples have legally ended their bond.
Do I include short marriages that ended quickly?
Yes, include all marriages regardless of duration. Short-lived marriages are clinically significant and may reveal patterns of impulsive decision-making, escape from family of origin, or responses to crisis. Even a marriage lasting only months should appear on the genogram.
How do I show a couple that separated and reunited?
If the couple separated and then reconciled, you can note this in the timeline: "m. 2005, s. 2010, rec. 2011" (married, separated, reconciled). Some practitioners add and then remove the slash, while others keep the notation as a historical record of the relationship's trajectory.
Where do children appear after a divorce?
Children remain connected to both parents via vertical lines descending from the horizontal marriage/divorce line. The children's position does not change after divorce; they are still the biological (or adopted) children of both parents. Custody arrangements can be noted with annotations.
How do I show a contentious vs. amicable divorce?
The standard divorce symbol (two slashes) does not differentiate the quality of the divorce. However, emotional relationship lines can be added between the ex-partners to indicate ongoing conflict (jagged line), distance (dotted line), or a cooperative co-parenting relationship (wavy line). These emotional overlays add clinical depth.
Should I note the reason for divorce?
While not part of standard notation, clinically relevant causes (infidelity, abuse, addiction) can be annotated near the divorce symbol. These details help identify intergenerational patterns—for example, if affairs have ended marriages across multiple generations of a family.
How do I show divorce in a same-sex marriage?
The same notation applies: two slashes through the horizontal line connecting the partners. Same-sex divorce is represented identically to heterosexual divorce in contemporary genogram notation.