 Gathering information and creating a genogram of a family is only a part of a more general process of helping a family.  May use a structured intake form.  Sharing a family’s history is a sacred contract.  Information obtained from one or several family members.

 Basic information can be collected in 15 minutes  A comprehensive family assessment can take an hour or two.  How to make a genogram video LOrF8TQ

If you have children:  Depict your parents, your generation, and your children’s generation.  Depict your parents’ marriages and relationship that produced children.  Depict your marriages and relationships that have produced children.  Depict your siblings and their marriages and relationships that have produced children.

If you do not have children:  Depict your grandparents, your parent’s generation and your generation.  Depict your parents’ marriages and relationships that have produced children.  Depict your marriages and the marriages of your siblings.  Depict your biological aunts and uncles but not their marriages and relationships.

If you do not know your biological family:  Depict your adopted family or significant others (people who have influenced you as a child; those who influence you now) and relationships that have produced children and your generation.  Depict the marriage/relationships of your adopted siblings  Depict your adopted aunts/uncles, but not their marriages and relationships.  Depict your children, if you have any.