Ecomap basics
What is an ecomap?
An ecomap is a visual assessment diagram that places a person or family at the center and maps the quality of their connections to the social systems around them.
Definition: an ecomap (sometimes written eco-map, short for ecological map) is a diagram that shows a person or family in the middle of their social world. Around the center sit circles for each significant system in their life — household, extended family, school or work, healthcare, mental health services, faith community, friends, and government agencies. Lines drawn between the center and each system describe the quality of that relationship, and arrows on the lines show which direction support and energy flow.
The result is a one-page picture of a client's ecological context: where support comes from, which relationships are stressful or conflictual, where connections are weak or severed entirely, and whether the person is giving out more than they receive. Patterns that take pages of narrative to describe — isolation, depletion, an over-reliance on a single system — are visible at a glance.
A simple ecomap: individual client, six systems, Hartman notation
Thick lines are strong connections, dashed lines are weak or tenuous ones, hatched lines are stressful, zigzag lines are conflictual, and interrupted lines are broken relationships. Arrows show the direction of support. See the full ecomap symbols legend for every line style.
Where ecomaps come from
The ecomap was developed in 1975 by social work educator Ann Hartman as part of her work on diagrammatic assessment of family relationships. Hartman wanted a practical tool that let workers and families seethe family's ecological situation together, rather than burying it in case notes.
The tool is grounded in two ideas at the heart of social work: ecological systems theory — the view that people develop within nested layers of family, community, and institutions — and the person-in-environment perspective, which holds that a person can only be understood in the context of the systems they live within. An ecomap operationalizes both: it literally draws the person inside their environment.
Since then the ecomap has spread well beyond social work into family therapy, community and pediatric nursing, case management, and school counseling, and it remains a standard assignment in BSW and MSW field education.
What an ecomap shows
Sources of support
Which systems reliably give the client resources, care, or practical help — the strong lines with arrows pointing inward.
Sources of stress
Relationships that burden the client: stressful or conflictual lines, or systems that demand more than they give back.
Gaps and isolation
Missing systems, weak lines, and broken connections. A sparse map is itself a clinical finding.
Energy balance
If most arrows point away from the center, the client is giving more than they receive — a common picture in caregiver burnout.
Untapped strengths
Strong connections that aren't currently being used in the care plan — a faith community, a relative, a former mentor.
Change over time
Redrawing the map mid-treatment makes progress visible: new connections formed, conflictual lines calmed, energy rebalanced.
Who uses ecomaps?
- Social workers — family assessment, child welfare, discharge planning, and case documentation. See ecomaps for social workers.
- Family therapists and counselors — mapping the ecological context around the family system, often alongside a genogram. See ecomaps for therapists.
- Nurses and care coordinators — community health, pediatric, and geriatric practice, where family support networks shape care plans.
- Students — BSW/MSW practicum assignments and classroom teaching of ecological assessment. See ecomaps for students.
Ecomap vs. genogram
The two tools are often confused because both are hand-drawn relational diagrams used in the same settings. The difference is the axis: a genogram looks back through time, mapping family structure, patterns, and health history across at least three generations. An ecomap looks outward at the present, mapping the current connections between a person and the systems around them.
They complement each other, and many intake processes include both. For a full comparison, read ecomap vs. genogram.
Frequently asked questions
What is an ecomap in simple terms?
An ecomap is a diagram with a person or family in the middle and circles around them for the important systems in their life — family, school, work, healthcare, faith community, friends, and agencies. Lines between the center and each circle show how strong, stressful, or conflictual each relationship is, and arrows show which way support flows.
Who invented the ecomap?
Social work educator Ann Hartman introduced the ecomap in her 1975 work on diagrammatic assessment of family relationships. It grew out of ecological systems thinking and the person-in-environment perspective that is central to social work practice.
What is an ecomap used for?
Ecomaps are used for assessment, case planning, and engagement. They reveal where a client's support comes from, which relationships drain energy, where connections are missing or broken, and which strengths are going unused. Practitioners also use them to track change over time by comparing maps made at different points in treatment.
What is the difference between an ecomap and a genogram?
A genogram maps family structure and history across generations — a vertical view through time. An ecomap maps the present-day connections between a person and their surrounding social systems — a horizontal view of their current world. Many clinicians use both together.
Is an ecomap only used in social work?
No. Ecomaps started in social work but are now used in family therapy, nursing (especially community and pediatric nursing), case management, school counseling, occupational therapy, and social work education, where students commonly complete ecomap assignments during field placement.
Keep learning
- → How to create an ecomap — the step-by-step tutorial
- → Ecomap examples — annotated sample maps for six clinical scenarios
- → Ecomap symbols — the complete Hartman notation legend
- → Family ecomap — mapping a whole household
- → Ecomap templates — 9 built-in scenarios plus a free blank PDF
Draw your first ecomap on iPad
Ecomap Creator has Hartman-standard notation built in — connection strength, energy flow, templates, and PDF export.
Download for iPad — free trial