What Is the Parts Mapping Tool? A Free Resource for EMDR and Parts Work* Therapists

*See my post "Why I Use the Term 'Parts Work' Instead of 'IFS' in My Tools and Consultation" for more on this here: https://www.theguidedstudio.com/post/why-i-use-parts-work-instead-of-ifs-in-my-tools-and-consultation

By Sam Bergstein, LISW-S (OH), LCSW (CA), REAT | EMDRIA-Approved Consultant | The Guided Studio

If you have been doing parts work for a while, you probably know the feeling of trying to track a client's internal system in your head while also staying present, asking the right questions, and keeping an eye on regulation. It is a lot to hold at once.

The Parts Mapping Tool is a free, browser-based canvas I built specifically for licensed clinicians doing EMDR and IFS-informed work. It gives you and your client a shared visual space to externalize the internal system, so you are not both trying to hold everything in your heads at the same time.

Here is what it actually does: It makes the internal system visible

Instead of describing parts verbally and hoping the client can track the relationships, you build the map together on screen. Each part gets its own node. You can name it, color it, resize it to reflect how big or present it feels, and connect it to other parts with labeled relationship lines. The map becomes a shared reference point that you can return to across sessions.

It is built for real sessions, not ideal ones

The tool includes pre-built templates for common clinical scenarios like anxiety and fear parts, structural dissociation, and window of tolerance work. These are not prescriptive protocols. They are starting points that reduce the "where do we even begin" paralysis that can happen when a client's system feels overwhelming.

There is also a Body Map feature that lets clients show where they feel each part somatically. A Clipart Library with over 200 images, including diverse representation across identity and body type. A freehand Draw tool for clients who process more visually or expressively than verbally.

A note on data and privacy

The Parts Mapping Tool does not collect, store, transmit, or have access to any client information. Everything you create in the tool lives in your local browser only. Nothing is sent to a server. Because the tool does not store or process protected health information, it does not function as a covered entity or business associate under HIPAA.

That said, clinicians are fully responsible for their own data practices. If you export a map as a JSON, PNG, JPEG, or PDF file, you are responsible for saving it to a storage system that meets your professional and legal obligations. The tool generates a clean, neutral PDF for client use that does not include any business or branding information, but how and where you store that file is entirely up to you.

As with any clinical tool, it is your responsibility to determine whether and how to use it with each individual client, and to ensure your use is consistent with your licensing board's standards and any applicable privacy regulations.

It is free

No account required. No subscription. Just a tool built to make parts work more accessible for clinicians and clients alike.

If you want to go deeper, I'm working on clinical guides that walk through the tool in detail, from getting started to working with complex systems and neurodivergent clients. Join my email list when you go to the map link below to get those guides when they're available!

Explore the free Parts Mapping Tool and Join the Email List Here: https://partsmap.theguidedstudio.com/

Note about the parts mapping tool: This tool is intended for use by licensed clinicians. It is not a replacement for clinical training, supervision, or consultation. Clinicians are solely responsible for determining appropriate use with their clients and for maintaining compliance with all applicable professional, ethical, and legal standards, including data privacy regulations.