Coun 6726 Week 5 assignment

Coun 6726 Week 5 assignment:

Assignment: Family Genogram

The family genogram is an invaluable assessment tool for couples and family counselors. It allows the counselor to visualize important relationships and experiences in the family system in order to gain a better understanding of that system. With this additional insight, couples and family counselors can apply methods and interventions that are specifically tailored to the client’s family system.

For this Assignment, you will be constructing your own personal family genogram. Creating a genogram for your family provides two invaluable benefits. It allows you to become acclimated with the tools and interview techniques used to create a family genogram. It also provides you with insight into the issues, interactions, and history you have within your family system. You can reflect on the assessment and consider how those personal and family issues may affect your work as a counseling professional.

To Prepare:

• Review the Optional Learning Resources for this week to become familiar with the symbols and information included in a genogram.

Assignment:

• Create a genogram for your family of origin including three generations (your siblings, parents, parent’s siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, etc.). 
• The genogram is drawn by hand, photographed, and submitted as an image in your three-page summary. Include family dynamics, communication styles, mental/physical health, boundaries and family patterns and include a master key to the genogram. Birth dates, or ages, help provide context, so please provide as much detail as you can.
• Include a three-page summary of the genogram you created by describing the roles and patterns that emerge in it, using concepts from the systems theories that are discussed in the previous week's Learning Resources (relationship dynamics, boundaries, communication styles, mental/physical health etc.).
• Explain how you believe genograms may be useful in couples and family counseling.
• Briefly explain how your understanding of your own family genogram might impact your work as a professional counselor.
• The summary is a maximum of three pages double spaced excluding your title page.