Support
Network Map

Communication & Relationships Tools

Know who to call before you need to call them.

Building a Network That Works Under Pressure

Under stress, most people either reach out to whoever is available or retreat entirely. Neither response uses their network well. Availability is not the same as fit - the person who answers the phone at 10 pm may not be the right person for the kind of support you actually need. And retreating, even when it feels self-protective, often delays the relief that connection could provide.

This map organizes your support system by closeness and function. The goal is not to rank people by importance but to clarify who to contact and for what. When you already know the answer to that question, you are far more likely to reach out at the right moment rather than defaulting to whoever is nearby or doing nothing at all.

How to Use This Map

Start from the inside out. Tier 1 is your inner circle - the two or three people you trust most completely. They may already know your situation without you explaining it. Work outward from there.
Think in terms of function, not just closeness. Some people in your extended network may be exactly right for a specific kind of support - a former colleague for career decisions, a therapist for high-stakes emotional work. Function matters as much as relationship depth.
Fill in the gaps honestly. The reflection prompts at the bottom of the map are where the real work happens. A network that looks full on paper may still have structural gaps. Notice them.