As you likely know from your own life, human relationships are complex. As such, social workers may find it difficult to keep these important interactions in mind when addressing an individual client’s needs. Several tools have been developed to assist in understanding and assessing relationships in the context of social work. One is an ecomap, which shows connections between the client or family and the social environment. Another is a genogram, which records the members of a family and their relationships, in much the same way as a family tree. Because it shows multiple generations, a genogram is useful in identifying, among other things, intergenerational trauma. Once a social worker creates a genogram for a client, they may refer to it when analyzing the client’s unique situation.
Develop a genogram of your own family or a family with which you are familiar. You then reflect on that experience and apply your learning to social work practice.