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Divorce and remarriage genogram: symbols and example

An example genogram of a divorced and remarried family. It shows how to mark the divorce, add each new partner, and place the children from both marriages. Open it as a template and replace the names with your own.

Last updated June 2026 · Based on McGoldrick et al., Genograms: Assessment and Treatment (4th ed., 2020) and Minuchin's structural family therapy

This example is designed to illustrate how to create and read genograms. It is not intended as clinical guidance.

Divorce and Remarriage Genogram: Taylor-Davis-Bennett FamilyView Only|

Made with Genogram Pro

Trace the divorce line between Mark and Sarah, then follow the remarriage lines to Elena and David Bennett. Notice Ben's position spanning two remarried households.

Use as Template

Divorce and remarriage genogram example: Mark Taylor and Sarah Davis divorced and both remarried, to Elena Reyes and David Bennett, with children Ben, Maya, and Leo placed across two households and the grandparent generation above

Divorce symbols

Every divorce-related marker sits on a solid red couple line, and the slash count tells them apart: one slash for separation, two for divorce, three for annulment.

Map a blended family yourself

Open the free editor to draw divorce lines, add new partners, and place children across two households.

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Separation in Fact

One backslash (\). They have moved apart but filed nothing. Still legally married.

Legal Separation

One forward slash (/). A court recognized the separation, but the marriage is not dissolved yet.

Divorce

Two forward slashes (//). The marriage is legally over.

Nullity

Three forward slashes (///). Annulment, where the marriage is declared as if it never happened.

When someone remarries, draw a new couple line to the new partner and leave the old line in place, divorce slashes and all. The first marriage stays on the diagram so its history is not lost. You can make a genogram for free to practice this on your own family.

Where to place partners after remarriage

The tricky part is where each partner goes, especially once both people remarry. A few rules keep it readable:

Order the partners by time. Put the first spouse closest to the person and each later partner one step further out, so the row reads in the order the marriages happened.
Keep shared children in the middle. When both ex-partners remarry, the children they had together stay between the two original parents, connected to both. Each new partner goes out to the side of their own spouse.
Set the dates on each couple line. Click a line to add its marriage and divorce dates. Clicking it also highlights the two people it connects, so you can tell who was married to whom.

In this example Mark and Sarah divorced, so Elena sits out past Mark and David out past Sarah, while Ben and Maya stay in the middle between their two parents.

How to build this in Genogram Pro

Build the original couple and their children

Add Mark and Sarah as a couple. Add their children Ben (mark as identified patient with the yellow outline) and Maya below. Then change the Mark-Sarah connection type to "divorce."

Add the remarriages

Select Mark and click "Add Partner" in the selection toolbar. Add Elena as Mark's second spouse with a marriage line. Click "Add Child" to add Leo below Mark and Elena. Select Sarah and click "Add Partner." Add David Bennett with a marriage line. Position the two new households so Ben and Maya sit visually between them.

Add the grandparent generation

Select Mark and click "Add Parents" in the selection toolbar. Add Arthur and Martha Miller. Select Sarah and click "Add Parents." Add George and Helen Davis. This creates the three-generation structure.

Create household groups

Select the members of each household and group them. Mark's household includes Elena and Leo. Sarah's household includes David Bennett. Place Ben and Maya in their primary household. Attach a note to Ben documenting the custody arrangement.

Add conditions and bond types

Add anxiety and depression as medical conditions to Ben. Select Ben, click Emotional Bond, then click family members to set bond types reflecting loyalty conflicts. Attach notes about custody arrangements and household rules.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you show divorce on a genogram?

Divorce is shown with two forward slashes (//) through the couple relationship line, drawn solid and red. The two slashes mark a finalized legal divorce, which is what sets it apart from separation or annulment.

How many slashes mean divorce?

Two forward slashes (//) mean divorce. One forward slash (/) is a legal separation, and a single backslash (\) is separation in fact, where the couple has moved apart but taken no legal action. Three forward slashes (///) indicate a nullity or annulment. All of them sit on a solid red couple line.

How do you show divorce and remarriage on a genogram?

A divorce is shown by changing the couple relationship type to "divorce." A remarriage adds a new couple connection from the divorced person to the new spouse. The original couple line stays visible with its divorce notation, so the history is preserved. Children from the first marriage connect below the first couple line; children from the second marriage connect below the second.

How do you show a second marriage on a genogram?

Draw a separate couple line from the person to each spouse. The first spouse is placed closest and each later spouse further out, so the left-to-right order matches the order of the marriages. The earlier marriage keeps its divorce or widowed markers, and children always hang from the couple line of their own two parents.

Where do the new partners go when both parents remarry?

The children the original couple share stay in the middle, connected to both parents, and each new partner extends outward on that parent's own side. When the row gets crowded, for example with several marriages or stepchildren, add the newer partner as a secondary person so it renders below the line instead of stretching the diagram sideways.

How do I show step-children on a genogram?

Step-children connect to their biological parents with standard parent-child lines. Their connection to a step-parent runs through the remarriage line to their biological parent. There is no separate parent-child line to the step-parent unless the step-parent has legally adopted the child. Add emotional bonds between step-parent and step-child to show the quality of that relationship.

Can a genogram show which parent has custody?

Yes. Place the child in their primary household group and attach a note documenting the custody arrangement. A person belongs to one household in Genogram Pro, so use notes to capture the split-residence detail.

How do half-siblings appear differently from full siblings on a genogram?

Half-siblings share one biological parent but not both. On a genogram, they connect to the shared parent through that parent's line, but each also connects to a different other parent. Half-siblings appear in different couple units but share a branch through the common parent. Full siblings appear below the same couple unit.

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