Complete guide

Types of genograms

12 common genogram types used across therapy, medicine, social work, and education, each mapping a different dimension of the family system, plus the approach-specific genograms that build on them.

Updated October 2026

Quick answer

There is no official number of genogram types. The common ones are the basic family, medical, emotional/relational, cultural, spiritual, trauma, career, financial, attachment, forensic, community and anger genograms, plus approach-specific versions such as Bowen, structural and couples genograms. Most start from a basic three-generation genogram and add one focused layer.

Genogram example: Basic 3-Generation Template — Every type starts here: a basic three-generation family genogram. Open this example

Why different types exist

A single family contains multitudes: medical histories, emotional bonds, cultural traditions, spiritual practices, career trajectories, financial patterns, and trauma legacies. No single diagram can capture all of these dimensions without becoming unreadable. That is why clinicians, researchers, and educators have developed specialized genogram types, each designed to bring a particular lens to the family system.

A therapist working with intergenerational trauma needs different data than a genetic counselor assessing hereditary cancer risk. A career counselor exploring vocational identity asks different questions than a family therapist mapping emotional alliances. Each genogram type provides a focused framework: what information to gather, what symbols to use, and what patterns to look for.

Practical tip

Most practitioners start with a basic family genogram and then add specialized layers as needed. Think of the basic genogram as the map and each specialized type as a different overlay (medical, emotional, cultural, or otherwise) that highlights specific terrain. You rarely need all 12 types for a single case; instead, choose the one or two that best illuminate your client's presenting concern.

Types of genograms compared

What each type maps, who uses it, and where it comes from.

Type	What it maps	Who uses it	Key source	Example
Basic Family	Structure, dates, key events	Everyone; the base layer	McGoldrick & Gerson (1985)	Basic 3-Generation Template
Medical	Conditions, causes of death, risk	Physicians, nurses, genetic counselors	Family medicine, genetic counseling	Medical Genogram Tutorial
Emotional/Relational	Closeness, conflict, cutoffs, triangles	Family and couples therapists	Bowen family systems theory	Emotional Triangulation
Cultural	Heritage, migration, acculturation	Therapists, counselor trainees	Hardy & Laszloffy (1995)	Latino/Hispanic Immigration Family
Spiritual	Faith traditions, practices, conversions	Pastoral counselors, therapists	Frame (2000)	Pastoral Family Faith Patterns
Trauma	Trauma exposure, transmission, resilience	Trauma therapists, social workers	Trauma-informed adaptations	PTSD and Trauma Transmission
Career	Occupations, work values, expectations	Career and school counselors	Okiishi (1987)	Family Business Succession Across Three Generations
Financial	Money attitudes, wealth or poverty cycles	Financial therapists, couples therapists	Financial therapy adaptations	—
Attachment	Attachment styles across generations	Therapists working with early relational wounds	DeMaria, Weeks & Hof (1999)	Parentification Pattern
Forensic	Legal involvement, violence, incarceration	Forensic evaluators, probation, courts	Forensic practice adaptations	Domestic Violence Cycle
Community	Institutions, neighborhoods, supports	Community and school counselors	Rigazio-DiGilio et al. (2005)	Community Support Network Genogram
Anger	Anger expression, conflict styles	Couples and family therapists	DeMaria, Weeks & Hof (1999)	—

Dated sources are key publications that introduced or popularized that genogram; undated ones grew out of practice.

The 12 types of genograms

Each type focuses on a specific dimension of the family system.

Basic Family Genogram

The foundational genogram mapping family structure, relationships, and key life events across at least three generations. Serves as the starting point for all other specialized types.

Medical Genogram

Tracks hereditary health conditions, genetic predispositions, causes of death, and health behaviors across generations. Essential in genetic counseling and preventive medicine.

Emotional/Relational Genogram

Maps the quality of emotional bonds, conflicts, enmeshment, cutoffs, and alliances within the family system. Central to couples and family therapy work.

Cultural Genogram

Documents heritage, ethnic identity, migration history, cultural values, acculturation patterns, and the role of culture in family dynamics and worldview.

Spiritual Genogram

Explores faith traditions, religious practices, spiritual beliefs, conversions, and how spirituality shapes family identity and decision-making across generations.

Trauma Genogram

Tracks intergenerational trauma exposure, responses, transmission pathways, and resilience. Essential for trauma-informed care and understanding inherited stress patterns.

Career Genogram

Maps vocational patterns, career expectations, work values, and occupational choices across generations. Used in career counseling to reveal inherited professional narratives.

Financial Genogram

Documents money patterns, financial attitudes, wealth or poverty cycles, spending behaviors, and the emotional relationship with money across the family system.

Attachment Genogram

Maps attachment styles — secure, anxious, avoidant, disorganized — across generations, revealing how early caregiver bonds shape relational patterns throughout life.

Forensic Genogram

Used in legal and criminal justice contexts to document patterns of criminal behavior, incarceration, domestic violence, and involvement with the legal system across generations.

Community Genogram

Extends beyond the family to map the broader social network — institutions, organizations, neighborhoods, and community resources that influence family functioning.

Anger Genogram

Tracks anger expression patterns, conflict styles, aggression, and emotional regulation strategies across generations. Reveals learned patterns of managing frustration and rage.

Genograms by therapy approach and setting

Some genograms are named for the model or setting they come from rather than the information they add.

Bowen Family Systems Genogram

The classic multigenerational genogram used to track differentiation, triangles, cutoffs and multigenerational transmission.

Key source: Bowen (1978)

Structural Genogram (Minuchin)

Adds boundaries, subsystems, coalitions and hierarchy from structural family therapy to the family map.

Key source: Minuchin (1974) structural mapping

Couples or Focused Genogram

Both partners' families of origin side by side, often with focused layers on attachment, gender, sexuality or romantic love.

Key source: DeMaria, Weeks & Hof (1999)

Addiction Genogram

Maps substance use, recovery and codependency patterns across generations for addiction treatment and family recovery work.

Key source: Addiction treatment practice

3 Generation Genogram

Not a separate type but the standard format: grandparents, parents and the index person. Most assignments ask for this.

Key source: Standard minimum depth

How to choose the right type

Match the genogram type to the clinical question you are trying to answer.

If the question is…	Start with
A client presents with anxiety that seems out of proportion to their personal history	Start with a Trauma Genogram to explore intergenerational trauma transmission, then layer in an Attachment Genogram to examine early relational patterns.
A couple keeps repeating destructive conflict patterns despite insight	Use an Emotional/Relational Genogram to map relationship patterns from their families of origin, combined with an Anger Genogram to trace conflict styles.
A patient has a strong family history of chronic illness	A Medical Genogram is essential to map hereditary conditions, health behaviors, and risk factors. Pair with a basic Family Genogram for full context.
A young adult is stuck in career indecision despite clear abilities	A Career Genogram can reveal inherited vocational expectations, family narratives about success, and unspoken rules about acceptable professions.
A family in therapy has members from different cultural backgrounds	A Cultural Genogram helps map each partner's heritage, values, and acculturation levels — making implicit cultural expectations explicit and negotiable.

Emotional patterns

Start with an emotional genogram; add attachment or anger layers.

Health and risk

Use a medical genogram, with the basic structure for context.

Context and community

Use a cultural or community genogram, or pair with an eco-map.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the types of genograms in social work?

Social workers most often use the basic family genogram for intake, a medical or trauma genogram when health or adverse experiences are central, a cultural genogram for heritage and migration, and a community genogram (often alongside an eco-map) for the services and supports around the family. Kinship and child welfare assessments usually combine a three-generation genogram with an eco-map.

How many types of genograms are there?

There is no official number. This guide covers 12 common types used across clinical and educational settings: basic family, medical, emotional/relational, cultural, spiritual, trauma, career, financial, attachment, forensic, community, and anger genograms, plus approach-specific versions such as Bowen, structural (Minuchin) and couples or focused genograms. Each type focuses on a different dimension of the family system, though practitioners often combine multiple types in a single assessment.

What is the most common type of genogram?

The basic family genogram is the most common type, used as the foundation for all other variations. It maps family structure, relationships, and key life events across at least three generations. Most specialized genograms start with this basic structure and then add domain-specific annotations and symbols.

Can you combine different types of genograms?

Yes, combining genogram types is common and often clinically valuable. For example, a therapist might start with a basic family genogram, then layer in medical history and emotional relationship patterns. The key is to avoid overwhelming the diagram — many practitioners use color coding or separate overlays to keep multiple data types readable.

Which type of genogram is best for therapy?

The best type depends on the therapeutic context. Emotional/relational genograms are most common in couples and family therapy. Trauma genograms are essential for trauma-informed care. Attachment genograms suit work with early relational wounds. Medical genograms are standard in health psychology. A skilled therapist selects the type that best illuminates the presenting concern.

Do I need special training to create specialized genograms?

While anyone can create a basic family genogram, specialized types like trauma, forensic, or attachment genograms benefit from domain-specific training. Understanding the theoretical frameworks behind each type — such as attachment theory, intergenerational trauma models, or cultural competency frameworks — helps practitioners gather the right information and interpret patterns accurately.