Ecomap Symbols ​

Once you know ecomap symbol conventions, you can read any standard ecomap at a glance.

The Circles ​

• Center circle - large circle in the middle of the diagram. Contains the name of the individual or family being assessed. Everything else in the diagram is organized around this circle.
• Outer circles - smaller circles placed around the center, one per external system. Each is labeled with the name of the system it represents: a school, an employer, a healthcare provider, a family member, a community organization. The outer circles have no hierarchy.

Relationship Line Types ​

Lines connect each outer circle to the center. The line type shows the quality of the relationship.

• Thick or double solid line: A strong, positive, supportive connection. The relationship is active and the person draws real benefit from it. Use this for close family members, consistent professional support, and community connections that are reliably present.
• Thin solid line: A present but unremarkable connection. The relationship exists and is not stressful, but it is not a primary source of support. Use this for connections that are functional but peripheral.
• Thin dashed line: A weak, fragile, or underused connection. The relationship may be geographically distant, inconsistent, or still in early stages. Use this for contacts who exist but are not meaningfully engaged.
• Zigzag or jagged line: A stressful or conflictual relationship. The connection is creating pressure on the person or family. Use this for difficult employer relationships, ongoing housing disputes, statutory systems generating stress, or family members whose involvement creates tension.
• No line: Some practitioners include an outer circle with no connecting line to acknowledge a system that is known to exist but has no current relationship. An absent parent, a severed connection, a service the person is eligible for but not accessing; all can appear as labeled circles with no line.

Directional Arrows ​

Arrows on the lines show which way support or energy flows. The line type tells you the quality of the relationship; the arrow tells you the direction.

• Arrow pointing toward the center: The system gives support to the person or family. A school that is actively supporting a child, a caseworker who is providing consistent help, a grandparent who gives childcare; these carry arrows toward the center.
• Arrow pointing away from the center The person or family gives support to that system. This appears when a client is caregiving for an aging parent, financially supporting a sibling, or carrying more of the relational weight in a connection than they receive back.
• Arrows at both ends: The relationship is mutual and reciprocal. Both parties give and receive. Use this for genuinely balanced connections, such as that of a close friend, a faith community where the person both attends and contributes, a therapist relationship with strong working alliance.
• No arrow: The direction of support is unclear, not yet established, or not relevant to the assessment. Early-stage connections and formal institutional relationships sometimes carry no arrow until the direction becomes clear.

Building a Key ​

Every ecomap needs a key.

Place it in a corner of the diagram; bottom right is standard.

Include one entry for each line type and arrow direction used in the diagram.

A reader who has not seen the notation before should be able to interpret the diagram from the key alone without asking for explanation.

At minimum, a key should include:

• Thick solid line = Strong connection
• Thin dashed line = Weak connection
• Zigzag line = Stressful relationship
• Arrow toward center = Support flows to the family
• Double-headed arrow = Mutual support

If you use a thin solid line or a no-line circle in the diagram, add those to the key as well.

See completed ecomaps in the ecomap example article. If you want a blank diagram that already includes the standard structure, use the ecomap template.

Related ​

• Ecomap Guide
• How to Create an Ecomap
• Ecomap Template
• Ecomap Example
• Ecomap Social Work
• Ecomap and Genogram
• Genogram Symbols