Genogram maker / Relationship lines
Genogram relationship lines
A genogram uses two kinds of lines. Structural lines show how people are related: partners, parents and children. Emotional relationship lines, drawn straight between two people, show what the relationship feels like.
Read a line by its parts
Emotional lines are built from a small grammar. More parallel lines means more closeness, up to fusion. A zigzag adds conflict. A break means the relationship has been cut off. An arrowhead means the relationship runs in one direction: someone is the focus of attention, or someone is being harmed.
Pick a relationship and watch how the line between a mother and son changes.
All emotional relationship symbols
| Line | Relationship | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Close | Two parallel lines: a warm, supportive bond. | |
| Fused / very close | Three parallel lines: enmeshed, boundaries blurred. | |
| Distant | Dashed line: little contact or emotional warmth. | |
| Conflictual | Zigzag line: ongoing hostility or conflict. | |
| Close–conflictual | Zigzag between two lines: close but hostile. | |
| Fused–conflictual | Zigzag within three lines: enmeshed and hostile. | |
| Cutoff / estranged | Line broken by two bars: no contact. | |
| Focused on | Arrow: one person is the focus of the other’s attention or worry. | |
| Physical abuse | Zigzag with an arrow pointing at the person harmed. | |
| Emotional abuse | Dashed zigzag with an arrow toward the person harmed. | |
| Sexual abuse | Zigzag beside a solid line, arrow toward the person harmed. | |
| Neglect | Dotted line with an arrow toward the person neglected. |
Structural lines
Partner and parent–child lines follow separate rules, covered in the genogram symbols key: a solid partner line for marriage, dashed for living together, one slash for separation and two for divorce; a solid line to a biological child, dashed for adoption and dotted for foster care.
Using relationship lines well
- Look for triangles. Two people in conflict and a third close to one of them is the classic Bowen triangle. It jumps out once the lines are drawn.
- Draw what the client reports, and date it. Relationships change; a note like “cut off since 2019” is more useful than the line alone.
- Colour helps, but shouldn’t be required. GenogramCraft colours conflict red and closeness green, but every line type also has its own shape, so a black-and-white print still reads correctly.
- Keep charts readable. If lines start crossing everywhere, draw a second genogram focused on one branch or one relationship pattern.
Frequently asked questions
What do the zigzag lines on a genogram mean?
A zigzag line between two people means the relationship is conflictual or hostile. A zigzag enclosed by two parallel lines means close–conflictual (intense but hostile), and within three lines it means fused–conflictual.
What does a line with two short bars mean?
A line broken by two short perpendicular bars is a cutoff: the two people are estranged and have no contact. Cutoffs are a key concept in Bowen family systems theory.
How do you show abuse on a genogram?
Abuse lines combine a zigzag with an arrow pointing to the person harmed. Physical abuse uses a solid zigzag, emotional abuse a dashed zigzag, and sexual abuse a zigzag alongside a solid line. Record only what has been disclosed or substantiated, and follow your agency’s guidance on what goes in a shared record.
What is the difference between close and fused?
Two parallel lines mean close: warm and supportive with healthy boundaries. Three lines mean fused or enmeshed: so close that individual boundaries are blurred, which Bowen theory links to lower differentiation of self.
Draw relationship lines in seconds
Select a person, choose a relationship, tap the other person.