Standard Symbols for Genograms

Male Female Birth Date Age Death Family Secret

41- 82- 1943-2002

23 59
Heterosexual written on written an X through Symbol
left above inside Age at death in box
of symbol symbol Death date on right
above symbol

Gay/Lesbian Bisexual
Location & Significant Person who
Annual Income Institutional has lived in Immigration
Connection 2 + cultures
Boston
Transgender People $100,000
72- 41- 41-
Pet
Man to Woman
woman to man written above
birth & death date

AA

m 1970
Therapist
Therapist

Couple Secret Committed

Marriage Relationship Affair Relationship

m 1970 Rel 95, LT 97 Affair 95 LT 95

LT = Living Together

Marital Separation Divorce Divorce and Remarriage

m 90, s 95-96, s 96, d 97

met 88,, m 90 s 95 m 90 s 95 d 97 m 03
remar 00, rediv 02 m 05

Children: List in birth order beginning with the oldest on left

97-97
A 97 -99 -01
LW 98-99
92- 94- 95- 03- 03- 04- 04- 05-
Stillbirth Abortion
13 11 Miscarriage
10
Biological Foster Adopted Twins Identical Pregnancy
Child Child Child Twins
 Symbols Denoting Addiction, and Physical or Mental Illness

Physical or
Physical or Smoker
Psychological illness S
Psychological illness
in remission
Obesity
O
Alcohol or Drug abuse In Recovery from
alcohol or drug abuse
Language Problem
L
Suspected alcohol In recovery from Serious mental and
or drug abuse substance abuse and physical problems
mental or Physical problems and substance abuse

Symbols Denoting Interactional

Patterns between People
spiritual connection Close

Distant Close-Hostile Focused On Fused

Hostile Fused-Hostile Cutoff Cutoff Repaired

Physical Abuse Emotional Abuse Sexual Abuse Caretaker

Annual income is written $100,000 $28,000

just above the 1943-2002 53-
birth & death date. John Highland Park, NJ Jenny
59 52
C.P.A. H.S.+2
m. 1970 Secretary
Typically you would include
the persons occupation Arizona London San Francisco
and education near the
name and the persons 35,000 $100,000 $45,000
whereabouts at the top 73- 75- 81-
of the line connecting to 32 30 24
the symbol.
Alicia Peter Mark
P.h.D M.B.A B.A.
Symbol for Immigration = History Prof Computers

Artificial Insemination Egg donor

Gay Couple whose
Lesbian couple daughter was
whose daughter Sperm donor
conceived Surrogate
was conceived with sperm of Mother

with egg John and

of one partner an egg donor, and
and carried by surrogate
sperm donor. mother till birth.
 Foster Children
Siblings of Primary
Genogram Members are written
smaller and higher. Spouses are
written smaller and lower:
38 39 31 26

62 58 01
01
s 01 0
28 26 01
Child Raised from
Birth by His
31 Granduncle and Aunt
0

Use an arrow to show

family into which child moved

Household Household shown by encircling members living together

(Couple living with their dog after launching Children)
POLISH JEWISH

Served in Chicago Chicago

Vietnam $60,000 $40,000
1945- 1944-

62 63
Ed m. 1970 Judy
London
Roman Buddhism
Catholic
$100,000
Chicago Dog-Muff

79 $28,000
82
27
24 Siblings are written smaller
Sam
LH 00 and higher than IP.
Jolie Spouses are written
Therapist smaller and lower.

Symbol for Adopted Child

Immigration

A= 1999

?94-

10
Use an arrow to show family
Adopted at 5
into which child moved
1 Husband, His Current Wife and his Ex-Wives (who are shown lower and smaller).
Husbands wives may go on left to be closest to him. Indicators 1st, 2nd etc.
make clear the oader of his marriages.

1st 2nd 3th

m 85 d 89 m 90 d 00 m 02

2 Wife, Her Current Husband and her Ex-Husbands (who are shown lower and smaller).
Wifes previous relationships are shown on left to keep children in birth order, since
they remained in her custody.

1st 2nd 3th

m 83 d 88 m 89 d 93 m 96

18 13 8

3 Couple with 3 year old, showing their previous spouses (smaller) and those spouses
new partners (even smaller)

1st 2nd 1st

m 94 d 99 m 02 m 94 d 98 m 90 d 92

97- 02- 96- 91-

8 33 9 14

Couple living with their joint child and her child from a previous relationship. The other
4 spouses of the partners are shown smaller and lower on either side of the present
household, indicated by a dotted line.

55- 65-

50 40
m 77 d 80
m 85 d 89

m 81 d 86 m 90 d 93

m 87 d 90 m 95 d 97

m 92 d 97 m 99 d 01
lo. m 02

82- 84- 94- 03- 95-

23 21 11 2 10