Running head: GENOGRAM ANALYSIS
Genogram Analysis
Katrina Wright
Liberty University
1
GENOGRAM ANALYSIS 2
Abstract
Understanding a family’s strengths, levels of resilience, as well as their values and rules
is beneficial to every person. This paper that is primarily focused on genogram analysis will
discuss the family-life cycle and the stages that families go through, specifically the author’s
family. It will also discuss intergenerational patterns, themes, and dynamics observed in the
genogram. Interpreting the genogram will also be discussed within the paper. Personal reflections
will be used to examine what the author has learned and how it will be used to form them as an
individual and as a counselor.
GENOGRAM ANALYSIS 3
Genogram Analysis
I am from a middle-class, African American, Christian family. My parents, Rodney and
Kim Wright have been married for 31 years. I am the third of four children. I have two older
sisters and a younger brother, who is adopted. I grew up in a Christian home, both of my parents
are believers. My dad did not grow up in a Christian home, and got saved later in life. My mom
on the other hand grew up in church and knowing about the Lord. All of these demographic
details have given a small amount of insight into my family and the dynamic that will be further
discussed throughout the paper.
Cultural, Historical, and Personal Aspects
I believe that because both of my parents came from lower income families they
purposed that their children would not have to struggle, which is why they made sure we had all
that we needed and more. Culturally my dad went to school in the early 60’s which is still when
some areas were segregated so that definitely has affected how he has raised us, he always
remind me and my siblings of the privilege it is to get to go school and the value of education.
Both of my parents are also believers, which has greatly influenced how they have raised us. It
has also taught me that having my own relationship with the Lord is what’s important and that I
shouldn’t look to my parents to validate that relationship. Another aspect that has affected my
family is my brother’s adoption. He came into our lives in 2007, when my oldest was graduating
high school. His mother, who was my mom’s niece, passed away and my parents felt led to then
adopt my brother and make him apart of our family. The mentality to step up when the time calls
for it, and do what is necessary is something that I have noticed about myself and others have
noticed and that is due in part to see my parents go above and beyond for family and friends
alike.
GENOGRAM ANALYSIS 4
Family Life Cycle Related Issues
Within the family life cycle both my maternal and paternal grandmothers transitioned
very quickly into the joining of families through marriage stage and then again moved quickly to
the families with young children stage because they had children soon after they got married.
Because both of my grandmothers were married at a young age they did get to go through the
emotional processing that takes place for a young adult, because they were teenagers, I am not
sure if they had a differentiation of self from their family members or establishment of self to
work and financial independence. I think that because of what they each went through they
instilled in their children independence and work ethic because they did not have much of that at
a young age. More presently, my parents are currently in the families with adolescence stage
because of my twelve-year old brother. They are currently experiencing what Duvall and Hill
explain as shifting the parent-child relationship to allow child to move in and out of the system,
they are in some ways trying to raise my brother the same way they raised us, but my brother is
experiencing and facing things that my sisters and I did not have to when we were his age
(Nichols, 2017). My family is also currently experiencing, launching children and moving on,
my oldest sister and myself no longer live and home so we are all navigating what it looks like to
still stay connected as a family even though we are all in different places currently. We have
learned to adjust and work through the transition of all of us being in different stages of the
family life cycle.
GENOGRAM ANALYSIS 5
Intergenerational Patterns, Dynamics and Themes.
One pattern that I noticed is a health related one, my great grandfather had pancreatic
cancer, and my grandmother on my mother’s side had breast cancer, and my mom’s sister had
breast cancer. Another pattern or dynamic that I saw throughout my genogram was that both of
my grandmother’s got married at very young age. My maternal grandmother was married at 15
and my paternal grandmother was married at 17. Another parallel I noticed is that both of my
parents lost a sibling. My dad lost a brother and sister, and my mom lost a sister. I think both of
my parents experiencing or learning about the death of their siblings is one f the reasons they
encourage my siblings and I to always be there for each other and love each other well now
because you never know what could happen. Death has been very prevalent in my family but one
thing I have observed from the genogram and talking to my family throughout this process is
how resilient our family is. Many of the deaths I can remember growing happened multiple times
in a year, but every time I saw how my family rallied around one another and encouraged each
other. I believe that is why I have resilient and stick-to-it attitude because I have seen that
displayed by my parents and other family members.
Interpreting Genograms
When interpreting and looking through my genogram one thing I noticed is that many of
the grandparent and great grandparents are no longer living or not healthy enough to shed light
on the history of our family. Honestly I began to get a little discouraged because I had to rely on
ancestry.com for the history of my family because many of my relatives did not know much
about my grandparents and great grandparents. Since most of them passed away prior to my birth
or while I was little my relationship with them did not form. I want to make sure that as I move
up on the genogram that I make it a priority to keep my children aware of their heritage. I know
GENOGRAM ANALYSIS 6
my parents love being grandparents and being able to share in the memories with my sisters
children I do have a strong relationship with my paternal grandmother because she is still alive,
she does have alzheimer’s and early onset dementia so sometimes she does not remember
everything but I do cherish the moments I do have with her while she is still alive. Interpreting
my genogram has allowed me to see how beautiful, resilient, and strong my family is. Despite a
lot of loss my family is close and if anything knows the importance being there for one another.
Personal Reflection
When reflecting on my family’s genogram and learning about the different aspects and
dynamics of the family, I have begun to see why my parents raised us the way they did, why they
always encourage us to be more like Christ and not like anyone else. I have learned that the
reason I value hard work is because I come from people who valued hard work and did what was
necessary to take care of their family. I learned about how cancer has affected much of my
family, and how important prioritizing your health is. I know that back when my great-
grandfather passed from pancreatic cancer we did not have all the advancements we do now,
either way it is important to take care of your health. It also shocked me to see how young both
of my grandmothers were when they got married. I could not imagine getting married as a
teenager, so for them to do that and then have children and take care of other responsibilities, is
something to be admired. Learning all of these things about my family has helped me to see that
every family has a story and they are all valid. As a counselor, I cannot wait to encounter all the
different types of families and the beautiful chaos that they will bring with them.
