Start from a ready-made family structure instead of a blank page. Each template opens in the editor with role labels to overwrite, and every line already follows the standard conventions.
Blank three-generation template
Grandparents on both sides, parents with siblings, and the client’s generation, with role labels you overwrite.
Replace each role label with a name (or initials), then add dates, deaths and conditions.
Delete branches you do not need; add partners and children from the selection panel.
Some interviews go better with paper. This worksheet has three generations of empty symbols (grandparents, parents with a sibling each, and the client with two siblings) plus lines for names, dates and notes. Cross out or draw over whatever doesn’t fit the family.
Squares and circles are placeholders: redraw as needed. The double square marks the client.
Tips for using a genogram template
Delete before you add. Remove branches that don’t exist in this family first, then add partners and children from the selection panel.
Set the index person. Every template marks a client; move the double outline to whoever the work is about.
Save a copy. Charts save in your browser automatically. For a file you can reopen anywhere, export JSON.
For Word and Google Docs, export PNG (2× resolution) and insert it as an image; for sharp printing at any size, use SVG or PDF.
Is there a genogram template for Word or Google Docs?
Word and Google Docs don’t have genogram symbols built in, and drawing them with shapes is slow. The quicker route is to fill in a template here, export it as PNG or SVG, and insert the image into your Word or Google document. Re-export whenever the chart changes.
Is there a printable blank genogram template?
Yes: the “Printable worksheet” button below opens a blank three-generation template sheet, with empty symbols and space for names and dates, ready to print or save as PDF for hand-drawing during an interview.
Which template should a therapist start with?
For individual clients, the blank three-generation template covers the standard assessment. Use the couples template in couples therapy to place both families of origin side by side, and the blended or single-parent templates when the household structure is the focus.