Simple Genogram Example ​

A simple genogram is the starting point for most genogram work, like intake sessions, student assignments, and quick family overviews. Before you add multiple generations, you need to understand what a simple one looks like and what it can tell you.

What Is a Simple Genogram? ​

A simple genogram maps one family across two generations: usually the parents and their children. It shows who is in the family, how they are related, and, critically, how they relate to each other emotionally.

Unlike a family tree, which only documents lineage, a genogram documents functioning. The lines between people carry meaning across closeness, distance, conflict, and estrangement.

Thus, a simple two-generation genogram with well-chosen relationship lines tells you a lot about a family in thirty seconds.

A Simple Genogram Example: The Marshall Family ​

This is an interactive example. You can study it, click into it, and edit it directly.

Simple Genogram Example

Use this genogram

Drag to explore genogram
Ctrl+Scroll to zoom

PNG↓PDF↓

What This Genogram Shows ​

The Marshall family genogram covers two generations: the parents and the children.

• David (square) and Linda (circle) are the parents. Squares represent males, while circles represent females.
• The horizontal line connecting beneath David and Linda shows they’re married.
• They have three biological children: Sophie, Tom, and Ella. A vertical line branches from the marriage line to each child, arranged horizontally to show they’re siblings.
• Sophie has a double circle, marking her as the primary person: the individual whose family system the genogram is built around.
• The thick line between David and Sophie indicates a close, warm relationship.
• The dashed line between Sophie and Linda, however, indicates emotional distance. Despite their biological connection, there is a meaningful gap in their relationship. This is not a hostile or estranged relationship, but it is one marked by unavailability and lack of attunement.

Other symbols exist for conflict, estrangement, and death, but a simple genogram includes only the markers necessary to represent core relationships.

Who Uses Simple Genograms, and When? ​

A two-generation genogram is the right choice when the goal is to establish baseline family structure and immediate relational patterns. It answers one question: who is in this family, and how do they relate to each other right now?

• Students: Psychology, nursing, social work, and counselling programmes usually introduce genograms through simple examples. It is the standard starting point for most coursework assignments.
• Therapists and counsellors: Early sessions frequently use a simple genogram to map immediate family structure before deciding whether to go deeper. It is fast, collaborative, and gives the client something concrete to engage with.
• Social workers: Family assessments often begin with a two-generation genogram to establish household composition and relationships before expanding the picture.
• Medical professionals: A simple genogram at clinical intake quickly captures family composition and immediate relational context, without requiring the patient to provide an extensive family history.

N.B.: Know the limits. A simple genogram cannot show the complexity in blended families, intergenerational trauma, addiction history, or patterns that repeat across generations. When the present cannot be understood without the past, two generations are not enough. Move to a 3-generation genogram when history matters as much as the current picture.

How to Build Your Own Simple Genogram ​

The Marshall family genogram is fully editable; you can replace the names, adjust the relationships, and adapt the markers to any family you’re working with.

To build a simple genogram:

1. Place parents or guardians in the top row, with the children below.
2. Mark the primary person.
3. Add the necessary relationship lines (the ones you can confirm).
4. Leave anything uncertain unmarked and return to it later.

For families where history and pattern matter as much as the current structure, see the 3-Generation Genogram Example.

Related Genogram Examples ​

• Genogram with Conflict Example
• Genogram for Social Work Assessment