GENOGRAM SOCIAL WORK PROFESSIONAL

The simplified visual representation of complex family dynamics helps clients understand their own experiences more effectively and encourages them to become active participants in therapy.ĭetails Title A Critical Reflection on Genogram and Its Use in Anti-Oppressive Social Work Author D. The major strength of genograms in social work practice is the ability to give a detailed pictorial representation of a client's family from which a lot of information can be derived to provide a solid foundation for offering help.

If you're writing up the family history, patterns established in a genogram can be very helpful as a way of explaining why ancestral family members left one geographical area for another, what sorts of relationship issues members had and may help to unearth other family members who were not officially recognized.Genograms are a fundamental resource for social workers or human service workers because they enable these workers to educate their clients about their family of origin in a comprehensive way.

Be very careful to avoid approaching your family members in a judgmental way as a result of making a genogram talk to your family or personal counselor before proceeding to reach conclusions from a self-generated genogram. While you might find your aunt has a tendency to quit every job she has ever had while your cousin has always seemed to steal other people's boyfriends, it's not a good idea to use the genogram to 'prove' your point that a family member needs psychoanalysis.

For instance, you can say something like:-A genogram is a way of recording and interpreting your family's history so you can better understand the genetic, medical, social, and cultural aspects of your family. Avoid using the genogram to make assumptions about the motivations of family members as well, or using this to confront them. When talking about genograms with clients and families, be sure to discuss with them: What a genogram is.

Talk to a medical professional about any potential for hereditary problems of this type. The data is one thing, but avoid using it to confirm that your family has a particular disease, or mental issue. There may be hereditary patterns or particular psychological tendencies that are very noticeable when grouped together in this way. Once you've made the genogram, look carefully to see what patterns can be identified. Do you want to know who in your family has depression, addictions, or a history of cancer? Perhaps you want to know more about why your mother and her mother never get along, by looking for the right clues you’ll be able to make a genogram that serves your goals.

Think about what kind of information you want to learn from making your genogram.

It will also tell you how many kids each union (typically between two individuals) has, what each child is like, and what the individual relationships are between members on more than just a physical level.

For example, a genogram can tell you who is married, divorced, widowed, etc.

You'll not only learn who is in your family, but how everyone is connected through physical and emotional relationships.

Only in addition to looking at the branches, you also look at the leaves on each branch. Once you know why you're making a genogram, whether it’s for a healthcare provider, school project, or just to get to know you and your family more, knowing what it is you want to learn can help you to organize how you go about populating your genogram.

GENOGRAM SOCIAL WORK PROFESSIONAL

Genogram social work