Genograms: Assessment and Intervention (Norton Professional Books) (Paperback)

by Monica McGoldrick (Author), Randy Gerson (Author), Sylvia Shellenberger (Author) "The intent of this book is to establish the genogram as a practical and useful framework for understanding family patterns..." (more)
Key Phrases: Henry Fonda, Peter Fonda, Bill Clinton (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
An updated, expanded edition of Norton's best-selling professional book on genograms. Using famous families as case studies, this book explains how to draw, interpret, and apply the genogram, a graphic way of organizing the information gathered during a family assessment. Widely used in training of health and mental health professionals, Genograms is an engaging introduction to the principles of family systems theory. The new edition highlights new developments in genogram use.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company; 2 edition (March 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0393702944
• ISBN-13: 978-0393702941
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.7 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #112,673 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Understanding relationship patterns in your family, May 4, 2001

By	"minuet1965" (Kailua, HI) - See all my reviews

This book came not only highly recommended by my counselor but from my graduate school as well so you know this is a good book for someone getting into the field. I also think this book could be helpful because it is written in layman's terms but it depends on what you are looking to gain out of the book.

This book looks at repetitive patterns that happen over the multigenerational transmission process. Patterns that seem to repeat themselves over time and are passed on. Why they happen, what to look for and what questions to ask. Genograms can be extremely revealing even if all you have are only facts. Correlations and assumptions can be made and drawn upon.

I'd recommend this book to psychology type students and maybe individuals in the therapy process.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great tool for a wide range of clients., October 19, 2003

By	Morganna Wolf (Portland, OR) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This was an assigned book in my graduate program. I thought it was a nice tool but way too time intensive for the majority of work I do. I have found that it is a wonderful tool for working with people who have an organic impairment or concrete thinking paterns. I have drawn the geno-gram on a white board during the first few sessions with the client. It helps me get a clearer history from the client and gives them a visual, which can be helpful in processing information.

18 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Map for Counseling, May 25, 2000

By	Selena D. Forrester (Orlando, Florida) - See all my reviews

If you're a Marriage and Family Therapist, or a counselor or psychologist this book will help you. It teaches you how to map out families and family patterns. It helps you to understand the family connection to your client's problems. Your client will also gain a better understanding of themselves and their family during the process of mapping. This book is a great tool.