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Genogram Cutoff Relationship
The cutoff relationship symbol is shown as a dashed red line interrupted by two vertical bars between two people in EasyGenogram. Use it when contact has been severed or intentionally blocked, not merely reduced. This guide explains cutoff notation, how it differs from distance, and how to show repair when contact resumes.
Cutoff Symbol Example in a Genogram
Cutoff Symbol Example in a Genogram
Patricia Owens and her son, David Owens, haven't spoken in eight years. The cutoff line connects them directly, with "cutoff since 2018" noted as a brief tag over the line.
Cutoff vs. Distance
These sit near each other in EasyGenogram's emotional line set, but they mean different things:
- Distant/Poor: reduced or strained contact, but still occurring.
- Cutoff: no contact and communication at all.
The degree matters clinically.
A distant relationship can still shift with intervention.
A cutoff usually signals something more entrenched, and treating the two as interchangeable understates how serious the disconnection actually is.
Why Cutoff Happens (Bowen Theory Context)
In Bowen family systems theory, cutoff often functions as a way of managing anxiety from an overly close or fused relationship.
Someone may cut off entirely because the closeness itself felt unmanageable, rather than because the bond never mattered.
Cutoff also tends to repeat. If it shows up more than once across generations on the same genogram, parent and grandparent, sibling and sibling, that's worth flagging as a pattern rather than treating each instance as isolated.
Showing Repair or Reconciliation
If contact is later restored, the standard approach is to either add a note directly on the existing line explaining the repair and the date it happened, or replace the cutoff line with a Harmony line and note the history in the label, so the genogram reflects the current relationship while still recording that a cutoff happened.
How to Add Cutoff in EasyGenogram
Select the relationship line between the two people and choose the Cutoff line from the emotional line set.
Cutoff Symbol Example in a Genogram
Explore this genogram and adapt it to your needs.
FAQ
What's the difference between cutoff and distant on a genogram?
Distant means contact is reduced or strained but still happening. Cutoff means there's no contact at all. The distinction matters because a distant relationship can still change with intervention, while a cutoff usually reflects something more entrenched.
Can a cutoff relationship become close again?
Yes. The standard approach is to either note the repair directly on the existing line with a date, or replace it with a Harmony line and record the history in the note.
Is cutoff only used between parents and children?
No. Cutoff can be used between any two people on the genogram, siblings, extended family, former partners, wherever contact has fully stopped.
Why does cutoff matter in Bowen family systems theory?
Bowen theory treats cutoff as a way of managing anxiety from an overly close or fused relationship, rather than simple indifference. It also tends to repeat across generations, which is part of why it's worth marking clearly on a genogram.
How do you show a cutoff that later gets repaired?
Add a note on the existing cutoff line with the date contact resumed, or swap it for a Harmony line and note the earlier cutoff in the label so the history isn't lost.