Ecomaps in GenogramAI
Yes, GenogramAI makes ecomaps. Map the systems around a person or family with relationship lines, energy-flow arrows, a key, and print or export.
Yes — GenogramAI makes ecomaps as well as genograms. An ecomap shows a person or family in the centre and the systems around them — work, school, friends, healthcare, faith, extended family — with lines that show the strength and quality of each connection and arrows that show which way energy and resources flow. The Ecomap editor is newer than the genogram editor and is still labelled Beta in places.
Starting an ecomap
On the Dashboard, click New and pick one of the Ecomap options:
- Blank ecomap — an empty canvas to map a client's systems and supports
- Create ecomap with AI — paste a case description and the AI maps the systems and support network
- Import ecomap with AI — upload a photo or scan of a hand-drawn ecomap
Your ecomaps are listed under Ecomaps in the Dashboard sidebar.
Building the map
- Click the centre (the person or family): a ring of 18 category buttons appears (Family, Friends, Work, Health and so on). One click adds that system, already connected to the centre.
- Click a system for Delete, Add System (a new system linked from that one: Label, Category and Importance S / M / L / XL) and Connect.
- Add System Node (A), then click the canvas, opens the same Add System window
- Connect Nodes (C): click one node, then the other, and choose the Relationship and Energy Flow in the Connection Type window. Press Esc to cancel
- Add Sticky Note (N) and Add Text Label (T) add notes to the canvas
- Auto-arrange (Hartman rings) (Cmd/Ctrl + Shift + A) places systems in rings around the centre
On a narrow window (and always on phones) the toolbar keeps Select, Add, Connect and the tool you're using, plus a More tools chevron that expands it. There is no right-click menu in the Ecomap editor.
The centre: details, household and notes
Select the centre to edit it in the Inspector, which has three tabs:
- Details: name, type (Person or Family), size, Date of Birth, Pronouns, Gender, Race / Ethnicity and colour
- Household (Family maps): the household members with their symbol and age, and a star for the Identified client. Link a genogram picks members from one of your genograms; then use Open genogram, Refresh from genogram or Unlink. From a genogram, File menu → Eco-maps for this family lists linked eco-maps and starts a new one.
- Notes: Presenting Concern / Notes
Connection types and energy flow
Click a connection line to edit it. Under Relationship, choose its style from the eight Hartman standard styles (Normal, Strong, Moderate, Weak, Stressful, Close & Stress, Conflictual, Broken) or the ten extended ones (Enmeshed, Distant, Ambivalent, Cutoff, Abusive, Mandated, Dependent, Estranged, Coercive, Emerging). You can also set a label, Contact Frequency and Line Color. A system's Inspector lists all its connections; click one to edit it.
Energy Flow sets the arrows:
- None — no arrows (the default)
- Inward — resources flow in to the person or family
- Outward — energy flows out to the system
- Both — mutual exchange, arrows in both directions
Arrows not showing?
New connections start with Energy Flow set to None. Click the line and choose Inward, Outward or Both.
The key
Click Show legend / key in the toolbar (or press L) to show the Ecomap Legend that explains your connection styles. Drag it wherever you like, and click an entry to highlight those connections.
Printing and exporting
Open the File menu (the eco-map icon at the top left of the Ecomap editor) and point to Export:
- Image… — PNG at Standard resolution on every plan; SVG and High Res are Pro
- PDF… and Print… — save the ecomap as a PDF or print it, on Letter or A4 paper
Leave Show key on in the export window to put the key on the page, and use Fit all under the preview to frame the whole map. Hide grid dots is free; Hide branding, Hide date and Anonymize names are Pro.
To share a link instead, click Share at the top right (also in the File menu) and publish a public link or embed code. Published eco-maps are not encrypted; a password and blocking copies are Pro.
Want your own notation?
If you need custom symbols and line styles, a Freeform document can also build ecomaps — ask its AI to "make an ecomap for Maria". See Freeform Documents.