Family and Social Situation

SELF-GENOGRAM

Due date: See course outline
Prepare a genogram of a minimum of three generations of your own family. If you have children, your genogram will include four generations (i.e., it will include your children). Include your grandparents and parents as well as your own generation (yourself and siblings, if applicable). Include your partner/spouse. You need to include those members of your (and your partner’s, spouse’s, ex-spouse’s, etc.) family who have been and/or are significant in your life. You need to diagram each individual (e.g., grandparent’s siblings), but you will not need to have detailed information about each family members. It may be of interest to lean why you do not know much about particular family members.

If you have questions specific to your family, please see me individually. We will discuss the assignment in class.

This assignment is designed to give you practice in completing a genogram and to be an exercise in continued self-awareness.
1. Thoroughly MAP your family structure. Use the symbols and guidelines discussed in class and in readings.
2. Record important information directly on the genogram. Include dates and categories of significant family events, such as births, deaths, marriages, divorces, separations, “comings-together/living-together”, formations of relationships, graduations, military service, hospitalizations, serious illnesses or injuries, changes in residence, moving patterns and traumatic experiences.

Also include strengths, successes and joyous occasions/events.

This is NOT a complete list. You want to consider events and qualities that characterize your family.

3. Write a succinct synopsis of the personal characteristics of the most significant family members in your experience. Briefly describe how you have been impacted by these individuals and their characteristics.

Attach a sheet of paper with this information on it.

4. Thoroughly draw/diagram family relationships.
In addition to indicating the nature of relationships with the appropriate lines, briefly characterize the relationships within your family (directly on the genogram). Write one or a few words that describes the relationships.
5. Develop a chronology (from past to present) of significant events in your family’s and your lives. The chronology can be written in the margins of your genogram or detailed on a separate piece of paper. Describe how you think you have been affected by the most significant events. Think about the significant events – not just regular events such as dates and marriages.

BE SURE TO THOROUGHLY AND COMPLETELY ADDRESS ALL PARTS OF THIS ASSIGNMENT.
In preparing your own genogram, you are to use the basic style and format presented in class and in the readings. If you develop a format better suited to your family experience, you must create a legend/key of that format on your genogram.

Be sure to include the date you completed the genogram and your name on your diagram (e.g., in the right hand lower corner)

Please refer to the syllabus for information about how the genogram will be graded. My purpose is certainly NOT to judge your family or you but to see that you have a beginning, working knowledge of genograms as an assessment and self-awareness tool. I also am interested in seeing that you have considered the impact of your family experience on you as a person and as a professional.

Remember: the genogram must be completed on poster board or large pieces of paper so that it (and the eco-map, too) are not squashed. You cannot use 8.5” X 11” or 8.5” X 14” sized paper. Use a large enough piece of paper or poster board to accommodate your family diagram.

Note: if there is someone (or more) that you consider family but who is not a blood relative, please include him/her on your genogram.

In addition to diagramming your family structure (describe in 1-5 above), you are to answer the questions on the following pages.

Submit your diagram and the responses to the items at the same time as one package.
The genogram may be written in blue or black ink. It cannot be written in pencil.

Genogram Analysis
When you have completed your genogram, reflect on your family experience by addressing the following questions. Be sure to address every part of each question.
1. a. How did/does your family-of-origin members seek help and support? From whom?

b. Today, when you need help and support, how do you seek it? From whom? How is your help-seeking behavior different from that of your childhood and family? 2. How was affection expressed by each family member? At the present time, how do you tend to express affection?

3. a. How was anger expressed by each member of your family? Happiness/joy?

b. At this point in your life, how do you express anger? Happiness/joy?

4. a. As you complete your genogram, identify three of the more important (positive or negative) things you learned from your family (e.g., while growing up). For example, what were important values in your family? What lessons did you learn from your family?

b. How do these experiences affect you today?

c. Which if any, of these might you wish to unlearn and why?

5. a. After preparing and studying your genogram, what patterns or themes can you identify?

b. How do these patterns affect you?

6. a. What new thing(s) did you learn about your family as a result of preparing your own genogram?

b. What new thing(s) did you recognize about yourself? How might that recognition/issue affect you in practice?

Genogram
1. Completeness and thoroughness: Did you address all aspects of the assignment? Did you fully and completely address all items?
10 points
2. Depth of thought/critical thinking: Did you give time and thought to each item? Do your answers reflect thought that goes below the surface?
10 points
3. Self-reflection: Do your responses demonstrate thinking about yourself, who you are, your own thinking about the items and so forth?
10 points
4. Attention to details: did you follow directions? Neatness and legibility: 5 points
6. Timeliness

On time

Self-Ecomap
Due: See course outline

On a large piece of paper (larger than 8” X 11” or 8” X 14”), prepare an eco-map of your current social situation. Use the format and style described in class and in your handouts.

In your eco-map, you are to identify and characterize the significant social systems with which you interact. Identify sources of support and nurturance as well as sources of stress or conflict. Indicate the direction of energy or resources flow between yourself and other systems. Use a plus (+), minus (-) or plus-minus ( + ) sign to indicate the relationship is energy-enhancing, energy-depleting, or evenly balances in terms or energy investment and return. If you have roommate or family, include “their” systems as well if you interact with them.

Use the standard format for eco-maps discussed in class and in the readings. If you develop specific symbols that you feel better suit your social context, be sure to include a legend (descriptions) of the meanings of those symbols on your eco-map. Again, my intent is not to “judge” your current social interactions but to ensure that you have an understanding of eco-maps and that you are engaged in continued self-awareness.

Please include descriptive information on the eco-map (e.g., that describes the relationship lines) to reflect your observations and critical thinking.

You must complete your eco-map on a large piece of paper (not 8” X 11” or 8” X 14”). It cannot be completed in pencil. Include a date on your eco-map.

When you have completed the eco-map, reflect on your current social situation and address the following questions. Please attach additional sheets if necessary. You must download this document and type your responses.
1. Which interactional relationships in your current situation enhance your energy level? How?

2. Which interactional relationships in your current situation deplete your energy? How?

3. How does your social situation affect the following types of energy you have available for use in your school work, your employment (if applicable), and other areas of your life?

a. Physical

b. Intellectual

c. Emotional

4. What new information or insights did you gain by completing and reflecting on your eco-map?

5. What kind of plans might you develop for yourself and your social situation based on your eco-map?

Additional notes:
1. Please remember that you need to diagram sufficient information on your diagrams on which you can reflect. However, do not divulge information you consider very private.
2. Also, remember that I do not judge you based on your diagrams. My purpose is to know you understand and can use genograms and ecomaps and engage in self-reflection. I do not remember what individual students diagram.
3. When addressing the reflection questions, retype the questions and type your responses.

Ecomap
1. Completeness and thoroughness: Did you address all aspects of the assignment? Did you fully and completely address all items?
5 points
2. Depth of thought/critical thinking: Did you give time and thought to each item? Do your answers reflect thought that goes below the surface?
5 points
3. Self-reflection: Do your responses demonstrate thinking about yourself, who you are, your own thinking about the items and so forth?
5points
6. Timeliness

On time