Genogram Creating Awareness Therapists Self Genogram is a

Genogram: Creating Awareness

Therapist’s Self • Genogram is a tool for self-understanding • Useful to improve therapist’s effective • Therapist’s heightened self understanding is applied to better understand engage with clients

Purpose of a Genogram • Definition: exploration of family psychological history to identify patterns • Clinical Tool for assessment and exploration of client • Use: • • • Engage with client Reframe Problems – from individual to systemic perspective Detoxify Individual Issues Empower with self-understanding Connect to family history and family identity

Assumptions in Genogram work • Family is primary – organizes values, structures, perceptions, coping style, and behaviors • Families repeat patterns generationally • Historical stresses (immigration, economic loss, racism, isolation) compound Present stresses (dx with depr, grief, illness, etc. )

Patterns to Identify • 1. Triangles in Relationships: Dyad to Triad (avoidance, distancing, loss of intimacy, etc. ) • The dyad is the basic building block of the genogram tree • When dyad is unstable it dilutes itself • Example: Mother over-involved with child in midst of a stale marriage, affair to avoid marital tension, tv/hobbies, over-involved with work or pets

Patterns cont. • Convergence of Life Events: Stressful events come in bunches • Death of Family Member and Births • Job Loss and Affair • Empty nest and Major Life changes

Patterns cont. • Family Repeats Patterns • • Illnesses : See same illness repeating generationally Death: manner, early/sudden, etc. Loss Trauma

Patterns cont. • Roles • • Femininity, Masculinity Parental Child Who is the caretaker • Intimacy Patterns: • • Cut-offs Enmeshments Closeness Responsibility

• Rules of Behavior • What emotions are allowed (e. g. , Sadness not acceptable but anger is) • Taboo topics, subjects • How emotions are expressed, rules about Patterns cont. expression (e. g. , is anger acceptable only when expressed as a masculine power? , is affection acceptable only nonverbally but not verbally? ) • Gender Role Definition • Sexual Scripts

Patterns Cont. • Patterns of Status and Power: • Imbalances of Over-functioning vs Under-functioning • Family Secrets, Myths, Stories told by family to reinforce narratives • Financial Patterns of Success followed by failure intergenerationally

Case Analysis • Cassie: 19 year-old young woman from Thailand who sought out tx for depr and suicidal thinking. She shares that although her parents want her to pursue a career in the health care, she has always had a passion for working in theatre. Her parents strongly discourage her and insist that she choose a ‘practical’ career. She has strong ties to her family rooted in her culture. Her therapist was born and raised in the U. S. and has a strong view on validating one’s own individual passions and defines self-actualization from that perspective. Are there potential problems in this therapeutic relationship?

Additional Notes • Historical Stresses: Poverty, Racism, Sexism, Homophobia Violence, Addictions Family Enmeshed Patterns Myths, Triangles, Secrets Illness, Genetic Illness Religious Beliefs • Current Stresses: Life Cycle Transitions, Unpredictable Events (accidents, illness, economic loss), Cultural Events (economic changes, Political events)