In the quest to obtain information for a genogram, I need an elaborate plan that instills confidence in the participants to offer more insight into the aspects that I need from my family members. I believe that the questionnaires with questions that elicit demographic data like names, birth date, and social status information such as education level, number of children, and family members’ professions among others will be an ideal planning tool to gather family information (McGoldrick, Gerson, & Petry, 2020). I will include specific questions targeting crucial family incidents such as challenges experienced by family members in line with the purpose of the genogram.
Another essential plan that I will adopt when gathering the required aspects is to focus on document-based information from biographies or other historical records as some people fail to open up about other personal information (McGoldrick, Gerson, & Petry, 2008). Document-based information like letters, photos, videos, contacts, and identification documents may reveal an important piece of information that will be useful in making a detailed genogram.
Steps I Intend to follow When Creating an Accurate Genogram
In creating the structure for a genogram, various aspects are considered. First, it is imperative to identify a general outline of a family structure. Thus, I will make an effort to understand the demographic information of the family and identify the number of generations to be included in the genogram, the functionality of the members, and the crucial family events (McGoldrick, Gerson, & Petry, 2020). Second, I will identify the appropriate tools to use in collecting the information about the family members based on the purpose of the genogram (Wheeler & Kathleen, 2014). Finally, I will describe the family relationships in the genogram where gathered information will be used to create patterns and perform forecasts, thus offering insight into the future trends of the family.
References
McGoldrick, M., Gerson, R., & Petry, S. S. (2008). Genograms: Assessment andintervention. WW Norton & Company.
McGoldrick, M., Gerson, R, & Petry, S. (2020). Genograms: assessment and intervention, 4th Edition: Norton Publishing. http://lghttp.48653.nexcesscdn.net/80223CF/springer-static/media/samplechapters/9780826110008/9780826110008_chapter.pdf
Wheeler, Kathleen. (2014). Psychotherapy for the Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurse, Second Edition. NY: Spring Publishing Company. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-6163.2008.00179.x