What is a genogram?

A genogram is a graphical representation of a family tree that displays detailed information about relationships, medical history, emotional patterns, and other family dynamics across multiple generations. Unlike simple family trees, genograms use standardized symbols to show the quality of relationships, health conditions, and behavioral patterns.

Genograms are used to assess a family as a system: to see repeating patterns (divorce, addiction, illness, caretaking roles), map emotional closeness, conflict and cutoffs, track hereditary medical conditions, and put a person's current problem in family context. Therapists use them for assessment and treatment planning, social workers for case documentation, and nurses and physicians for family health history.

While both show family relationships, a genogram includes much more detail. Family trees show biological connections (who is related to whom), while genograms add relationship quality (close, distant, conflictual), medical history, emotional patterns, divorces, remarriages, and other clinical information using standardized symbols.

No single person. Genograms grew out of Murray Bowen's family systems theory and the family diagrams used by Bowen and his colleagues in the 1970s. Monica McGoldrick and Randy Gerson standardized the symbols and format in their 1985 book Genograms in Family Assessment, and later editions (1999, 2008, 2020) expanded the notation.

Genograms are used by family therapists, marriage counselors, social workers, physicians (especially genetic counselors), psychiatrists, nurses, and researchers. They're also valuable for individuals exploring their family history or understanding multigenerational patterns.

In social work, a genogram is an assessment and documentation tool that maps a client's family structure, relationships and stressors across generations. Social workers use it at intake, in child welfare and kinship care assessments, and in case planning, often together with an eco-map that shows the family's connections to outside systems such as school, work and services.

In nursing, a genogram is a family health assessment diagram. Nurses use it to record hereditary conditions, causes of death, and family support across three generations, which helps identify health risks and plan care. Nursing programs often assign a genogram together with an eco-map as part of a family assessment.

Genogram symbols are standardized shapes and lines: squares for males, circles for females, diamonds for unknown gender. Relationship lines show marriages (solid), divorces (double slash), and emotional bonds (various patterns for close, distant, conflictual relationships). Additional symbols indicate deceased individuals, medical conditions, and life events.

A typical genogram includes three generations (see our 3 generation genogram guide for details). It covers the identified person (index person), their parents, and their grandparents. However, genograms can include more generations if relevant patterns extend further back, or fewer if information is limited.

The five core components of a genogram are: (1) Person symbols: squares for males, circles for females, diamonds for unknown gender; (2) Structural relationships: horizontal lines showing marriages, separations, and divorces; (3) Parent-child connections: vertical lines linking parents to children, including adopted and foster links; (4) Emotional relationship overlays: patterned lines showing closeness, conflict, cutoff, enmeshment, and other dynamics; and (5) Contextual annotations: medical conditions, mental health history, substance use, cultural heritage, and significant life events.

To make a genogram: (1) Gather family information for at least three generations, (2) Draw the index person in the center using the correct gender symbol, (3) Add family members with squares, circles, or diamonds, (4) Connect them with structural relationship lines (marriage, divorce, children), (5) Layer in emotional relationship overlays (close, distant, conflictual), (6) Annotate medical history, mental health, and life events, and (7) Review for accuracy. You can use an AI-powered genogram maker like GenogramAI to create one in minutes.

Yes. GenogramAI's free plan includes 2 genograms, 5 AI credits a month, all 64 relationship types with standard symbols, emotional relationship overlays, medical quadrants and PNG export. It runs in your browser with no download and no card. PDF, SVG and GEDCOM export are on paid plans.