Genogram maker / How to make a genogram
How to make a genogram
A genogram is built in layers: structure first, then events, then health, then relationships. Step through the example to see each layer arrive, then follow the same order in your own chart.
The seven steps in detail
1. Start with the index person
Draw the client with a double outline near the centre of the page, leaving room above for two generations and below for children. In the genogram maker, the first person you add can be marked as the index person with one tick.
2. Add parents and siblings
Parents sit above, male on the left by convention, joined by a partner line that drops down from each symbol and runs across. Children hang from that line, ordered by birth from left to right. Include siblings who have died, and pregnancies lost if the client mentions them.
3. Add the grandparents’ generation
Repeat for each parent: their parents above them and their siblings beside them. This is the minimum for a “three-generation genogram”; see the three-generation guide.
4. Record dates and life events
Write birth years under each symbol, mark deaths with an X plus the years and age, and add marriage, separation and divorce dates above partner lines (“m. 1998 d. 2010”). Dates reveal timing patterns: a divorce the year after a grandparent’s death, for example.
5. Add health and substance use
Shade symbols using the standard health symbols and add a short note naming each condition. Ask about both physical and mental health, and about alcohol and drug use, in every generation.
6. Draw emotional relationships
Ask who is close, who argues, and who doesn’t speak. Draw those as relationship lines. Record the client’s perception; you can add others’ views later.
7. Look for patterns, and add a key
Step back and look for repetition: the same relationship pattern between different pairs, conditions recurring, cutoffs, triangles, losses clustered in time. Add a key before sharing, and use a de-identified export whenever the chart leaves your hands.
Common mistakes
- Leaving out the dead. Deceased family members, miscarriages and stillbirths often carry the most emotional weight.
- No dates. Without years, you can’t see timing, which is half the value of a genogram.
- Unreadable crossing lines. Re-order siblings or draw a second, focused genogram instead of forcing everything onto one page.
- Identifying details in shared copies. Use initials or codes and ages instead of full names and dates.
Frequently asked questions
How many generations should a genogram have?
At least three: the client’s generation, their parents and their grandparents. Add a fourth if the client has children or if patterns seem to reach further back.
How long does it take to make a genogram?
A basic three-generation genogram takes 20 to 40 minutes of interview. The drawing itself takes a few minutes in a genogram maker, which is why many clinicians build it live in session.
What questions should I ask to make a genogram?
Start with facts (who is in the family, dates of births, deaths, marriages and separations), then move to health and substance use, and finally to relationships: who is close, who argues, who doesn’t speak. See the question bank in our social work guide.
Can I make my own genogram for a class?
Yes, and it’s a common assignment. Use first names or initials, include a key, and add a short reflection on the patterns you notice. Only include what you are comfortable sharing with your instructor.
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