Using Genograms as a Tool for Insight in College Counseling

Abstract

The use of a genogram in counseling can provide a visual cool that stimulates insight and awareness in clients. College counseling clients struggle with many developmental, relationship, and systemic issues. Genograms, which have been proven beneficial in other settings, may also facilitate college counseling.

Career Assessment

“…Thus, a genogram is founded on the notion that there is multigenerational transfer of beliefs (including those relating to the self and the other), values, attitudes, customs, traditions, rules, problem-solving strategies, emotional expression and management, patterns of interaction, and role stereotypes. It is assumed that a genogram can help build self-awareness and provide insight (Daughhetee, 2001), and make multigenerational influences yield to conscious/proactive processes as opposed to operating through unconscious/reactive processes (White & Tyson-Rawson, 1995). Power differentials in the family of origin may be replicated in the new family.…”

Genograms and African American Families: Employing Family Strengths of Spirituality, Religion, and Extended Family Network

“…For example, genograms have been used as an educational tool by clinical sociologists to introduce and help students understand the sociological basis of family therapy and to deepen awareness of social transmission of families (Reed, 1994). Doughhetee (2001) demonstrated how genograms have been used successfully as teaching tools with graduate students in university settings as a method to connect systemic concepts to their family systems. Granello, Hothersalt and Osborne (2000) have even described the use of the academic genogram with doctoral students to trace academic lineage.…”