Essay On Family Genogram

The family genogram project was a great way to get to really know and understand my family. Before mapping out my genogram I was aware of members of my family but never thought much about the interactions between each member. This project allowed for met to gain insight about the intricacies within my family dynamics and has allowed for me to understand why certain relationships are the way they are. It has also allowed for me to understand my own relationships with my family and to see what family dynamics have played a role in shaping my own thoughts and feelings.
The first thing I noticed within my genogram was the size difference between each generation. My grandparent’s generation had family sizes as large as twelve and the newest generation in my family, which are my nieces, only has two. This plays into the societal norms that are constructed around family size, the economy, and roles of children. My Aunt and Uncle on my mother’s side of the family do not have children and there is only one uncle on my father’s side of the family that has two children. I did not include them in the genogram because I am not close to either of them. Due to the construction of my family I did not grow up …show more content…
My mother’s side of the family had minimal health concerns. The only two things that stood out for her side of the family was obesity and high blood pressure. This, however, was not a reoccurring theme throughout her family. On my father’s side I noticed a pattern of family members with cancer. This was prevalent on my grandmother’s side. There are four people throughout the generations that have been diagnosed with cancer. I am aware that type of cancer they have been diagnosed with is genetic and it is clear to see the genetic connections on the genogram. Overall, however, both sides of my family are relatively healthy. I also have most of my family members still living today, with the oldest member being 88 years