Genograms can be a bit overwhelming but it is a great tool for gaining a better understanding of your family and its dynamics. With so many different genogram examples to choose from, it can be hard to know where to start.
In this article, we’ll show you the benefits of using genograms, their many variations, and how you can create one efficiently for free through Venngage’s Genogram Maker.
Click to jump ahead:
- What is a genogram?
- 10 Genogram examples for your inspiration
- 10 genogram symbols that you can use for your diagram
- How to create a genogram diagram in Venngage
- FAQs about genograms
What is a genogram?
A genogram is a family tree, but with additional information that can be very helpful when trying to understand complex family and relationship dynamics. Genograms can be used to map out a mental health history, physical health history, and even addiction and substance abuse history.
While traditional family trees will show you who is related to whom, these types of diagrams can also show you patterns of behavior and health that span generations. This can be incredibly helpful when trying to understand why someone may be struggling with certain issues, and can also give you a better sense of what to expect in the future.
Related: What is a Decision Tree and How to Make One [Templates + Examples]
Why are genograms needed in your business?
Genograms are typically used in the field of psychology and family therapy to visually represent relationships and interactions within a family.
However, in certain business contexts, genograms or similar visual representation tools might be adapted for specific purposes. Here are some reasons why genograms could be useful in various businesses:
Organizational structure
Ever wish you had a cheat sheet for the office hierarchy? Genograms can be like a family tree for businesses, helping you see who’s in charge and who reports to whom.
Succession planning
In family-run businesses, genograms are like a roadmap for passing the baton from one generation to the next. It’s a visual way to plan who’s taking over and when.
Team dynamics
If you’re a manager, a genogram for your team can help you learn about who’s tight with who and how everyone communicates. It’s like a sneak peek into team relationships and a cheat sheet to help you identify key influencers, communication patterns and potential conflicts within the team.
Cultural mapping
In a diverse workplace, genograms can be your secret weapon to map out the cultural landscape. It’s like having a guide to understand your colleagues’ backgrounds and build a more inclusive environment.
Mergers and acquisitions
When companies merge or undergo acquisitions, genograms can be helpful in mapping out the relationships and connections between employees from different organizations. It’s like a backstage pass to the culture mix and potential challenges.
Project Team
For those crazy complex projects, genograms can be your visual superhero. They show who’s on your project team, what they’re bringing to the table and how everyone fits into the big picture.
Sounds like what you need? Well, keep scrolling – I’ve prepped you some some great genogram examples that you could use.
10 Genogram examples for your inspiration
There are many genogram examples that you can use as templates or inspiration for creating your own family map. Some great examples include the following:
Family genogram examples
A family genogram is a great way to map out and better understand the dynamics of your own family. This can be useful for things like identifying patterns of behavior or health that may have been passed down through the generations, or for planning the line of succession in a family-owned business.
Here is an example of a basic family tree that shows how each member is connected from the oldest member to the youngest.
Aside from their names and the lines that connect them, photos, year of birth, year of death, as well as the possible country of residence were included to help make the genogram family tree more informative. You can also consider using a family tree software for data entry, organization and storage of genealogical information.
Career genogram examples
Career genograms are used to map out the professional paths of your family members. This can help understand what kind of career advice or mentorship you may be able to draw from your family members and for planning your own future career trajectory.
The following example uses various genogram symbols to build the family tree. While there is no particular symbol used for the occupation, the family members’ respective jobs have been added underneath the names which make it easy to see how their career paths intertwined or influenced one another.
Source: ResearchGate
You can also count how many per generation are in a particular field. In this example, several members from past generations have pursued Nursing while only one, who’s probably the youngest, has tried a career in Information Technology.
Source: Career Wise by Ceric
Cultural genogram examples
Cultural workers use genograms to map out the cultural identity of their clients. This can be used to understand how a person’s cultural background may be impacting their current situation, and for designing culturally-sensitive interventions.
Through the use of a color key, this sample genogram shows the ethnicity or heritage of each family member which helps trace the roots and identity of an individual.
Source: Pinterest
Here’s another complex example that visualizes the relationships, career, and ethnicity of the artist Frida Kahlo.
Medical genogram example
Medical or health genograms are used to map out the health history of a family. Below is an example of a medical genogram used to illustrate a family’s history of breast and ovarian cancers.
Source: GenoPro
When used in business, medical genograms can help track the costs associated with specific health conditions, as well as help identify patterns or trends in employee health.
Social work genogram example
Social workers use genograms to understand their clients’ family dynamics and how these may be impacting the person’s mental health or social functioning. This can help them to design more targeted interventions and make referrals to other services such as family therapy if needed.
Here’s an example of a social work genogram that helps map a family’s history as well as determine their values and strengths.
Source: University of Michigan
Icons and bold colors can also be used in designing a genogram template to help make the diagram more visually appealing and easier to read. For instance, this is a funny example for all the lovers of the TV Show, Friends. As you can see, there are some icons that represent each of the character’s relationships.
Related: Editable Genogram Templates & Why They Are Important for Documenting Family Info
10 genogram symbols that you can use for your diagram
There are a variety of genogram symbols that you can use to create your diagram. The most basic symbols include:
Gender symbols:
- Squares – indicates a male family member
- Circles – indicates a female family member
Children:
- Triangles – symbolizes pregnancy, miscarriage and abortion. For a miscarriage, a diagonal cross indicates fetal death on the triangle. Abortion is represented similarly to miscarriage but with an added horizontal line.
- Joined child links – Child links are connected for multiple births like twins, triplets or quadruplets. Identical twins are indicated by a horizontal line between them.
Relationships:
- Lines – represent a relationship between two people
- Dotted Lines or dashes – can be used to indicate separation, mental illness, abuseB or infidelity
- Cross – an X or cross over a square or circle indicates a deceased family member
Source: GenoPro
Emotional relationship:
- Broken line – can signify emotional distance or estrangement between family members.
- Jagged line – a jagged line between two family members can represent ongoing conflict or tension in their relationship.
- Arrow – An arrow pointing from one individual to another can signify a close emotional bond or attachment.
Other symbols that you may choose to include in your genogram include addiction/substance abuse symbols, mental health history symbols, and cultural or religious symbols.
How to create a genogram diagram in Venngage
Thinking of creating your own genogram diagram? Well, you could always use Venngage’s Genogram Maker and follow these simple steps to get a head start:
Login or create your Venngage account
Start by logging into your Venngage account or creating a new account if you don’t already have one. This will give you access to all of the tools and resources you need to create your genogram diagram.
Go to “Templates” and select “Diagrams”
Next, go to the Templates page and select Diagrams from the drop-down menu. This will give you a list of all of the different types of diagrams that you can create, including relationship genogram templates.
Choose the “Tree” category to see all templates
Click on the Tree category to see all of the different available genogram templates. You can scroll through the thumbnails to get a preview of each template and see which one you like the best.
Customize your genogram using symbols and colors
Once you’ve picked a template, you can start customizing it by adding your own symbols and colors. You can also move elements around on the canvas and change the fonts and text to match your brand or style.
Save, share or download your genogram
When you’re done, you can save your genogram as a PDF or PNG file, share it online, or download it for printing. You can also save it to your Venngage account so that you can continue editing it later or use it as a template for future projects.
Venngage is a simple but powerful tool to create or edit professionally made templates. It offers shapes, fonts, and customization options, so you can create compelling visuals in minutes. Plus, it’s easy to use, very intuitive and even a beginner or a non-designer user can be a pro in minutes.
We also have a business feature called My Brand Kit that enables you to add your company’s logo, color palette, and fonts to all your designs with a single click.
For example, you can make your genogram template reflect your brand design by uploading your brand logo, fonts, and color palette using Venngage’s branding feature.
Not only are Venngage templates free to use and professionally designed, but they are also tailored for various use cases and industries to fit your exact needs and requirements.
A business account also includes the real-time collaboration feature, so you can invite members of your team to work simultaneously on a project.
Venngage allows you to share your genogram online as well as download it as a PNG or PDF file. That way, your design will always be presentation-ready.
So if you’re looking for a platform that can help you easily create beautiful Venn diagrams and other types of compelling visuals, Venngage is the tool for you.
FAQs about genograms
How do you write a genogram?
There is no standard format for writing a genogram. Some people prefer to use symbols and lines while others may opt for text or numbers instead. You can also use a mixture of both depending on what you want to include in your genogram.
What is included in a genogram?
A genogram can include anything that you want to include about your family. This may include information such as names, dates, locations, marriages, strained relationships, careers, health conditions, and so on.
How do you fill out a genogram diagram?
There is no one right way to fill out a genogram diagram. However, some common approaches include using symbols and lines to represent different family members and relationships, writing out detailed descriptions of each person’s health or family history, or including other information about the family such as their location, culture, or occupation.
What is the difference between genogram and family mapping?
A genogram is a visual representation of a family’s structure and relationships, often used in clinical settings to depict emotional and social dynamics.
Family mapping on the other hand is a broader term that includes various methods of visually representing family-related information, which may include genograms but can also extend to other mapping techniques or diagrams to depict family history or relationships in diverse ways.
Creating genograms for business can now be done in just a few minutes
Whether you are creating a genogram for your own business or as part of a larger team, there are now many tools and resources available to help you quickly create high-quality genograms with just a few clicks.
Venngage is a user-friendly online platform that offers a wide range of pre-built templates for genogram diagrams. With Venngage, you can easily customize your genogram with your own symbols, colors, and text to match your brand or style. So if you’re looking for an easy and effective way to create genograms for business, be sure to check out Venngage today!