History and Uses of Genograms
This assignment will help you gain a better understanding of your family dynamics by completing a genogram. A genogram is like a road map to your family history. This assignment will be a two-step process.
First you will complete research on family genograms. https://www(dot)genopro(dot)com/articles/what-is-a- genogram.aspx is a helpful website that you can use for assistance with this assignment. (Hint - this is a great resource!) Write a summary (in a Word doc) on your research. Any information you use from any source needs to be cited! Here are a few examples of topics you may want to discuss: Requirement - Minimum of 1 page.
The history of genograms
How genograms are used
How genograms are completed
What are the benefits and/or challenges of developing a genogram
Any other information you'd like to share from your research
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History and Uses of Genograms
A genogram is similar to a family tree, but the latter contains individual information such as behavioral patterns, individual characteristics, historical facts, relationships, and other life dynamics. Randy Gerson and Monica McGoldrick initiated the concept during their research in family therapy and psychology in the 1970s (Tobias, 2018). The idea was well documented in a book that was released in 1985. The tool is used in therapy to visualize the patient in the context of their relatives; parents, siblings, nephews, nieces, spouses, grandchildren and children. It can also be applied to a wide range of patients and fields, including social work, psychology, medicine, genetic studies, and education.
Family functions as an emotional unit, and individuals can be better assessed and understood in association with the family. Family members carry unique characteristics that make them strongly connected emotionally and portray interdependence in their actions, feelings and thoughts. When using a genogram, the client must present at least 4 to 5 generations who will be included in the genogram (Alexander, Callaghan & Fellin, 2018). It also employs lines and various symbols to indicate the relationship between one person and the other. The symbols used include a square for males, circle for females. The horizontal lines represent marriage, while the vertical lines represent the connection between parents and children. On or two backslashes are noted on the horizontal marriage lines to denote separation and divorce. The zigzag lines are also used to denote conflicted relationships, dotted lines for distant relationships, broken lines for cut off and three solid lines representing overly close relationships. Using a genogram, an individual should highlight the clients’ strengths and resilience even within their stories of trauma to help bolster th...