This site is dedicated to helping individuals and families discover more about themselves by using a genogram. A genogram is a tool that was first developed and popularized in clinical settings by M. McGoldrick and R. Gerson. It resembles a family tree but is more sophisticated in its ability to provide particular kinds of information.

For example, an individual can create a genogram that traces the medical history of cancer in a family. This genogram would include basic information about each family member, such as the dates of birth, death, marriage, and divorce, and also the occurrences of cancer. It could easily be elaborated upon to show what kind of work the individual family members were involved in or pertinent habits, such as smoking. When pertinent details are included, the genogram can help clarify and nuance the understanding of how cancer has impacted the family.

Of course a genogram can also be used to understand one's development and the forces that converged to shape them. In the words of McGoldrick and Gerson, "One might compare the family process to music, in which the meaning of individual notes depends on their rhythms in conjunction with each other and with the memories of past melodies and the anticipation of those yet to come." When an individual is able to evaluate an aspect of their own person in concert with the broader context of family patterns, a much deeper understanding can be achieved.

Select one of the links from the side panel to learn more about building your own genogram or to explore a related topic. I recommend that you begin with the "Background & Family Systems Theory" link and then continue on to the other areas of the web site. If you are interested in getting the most out of this very useful and insightful tool, I encourage you to purchase one of the books listed under the "Recommended Readings" link.