#SMART NOTES THERAPY HOW TO#
#SMART NOTES THERAPY FREE#

And there's no way I can personalize something like that for you without first evaluating quite a few of your notes, your therapy style and getting a sense of your typical client. The thing is, I could give you a list with hundreds of options but that would just be overwhelming.

#SMART NOTES THERAPY HOW TO#

Lots of counselors ask me for check boxes, how to create notes with check boxes, lists of interventions, etc. I go through four different templates- DAP, GIRP, PAIP and SOAP.

#SMART NOTES THERAPY FREE#

If you want some tutoring on various templates and how to use them, check out my free Private Practice Paperwork Crash Course. Once you get the hang of writing the same way consistently, you'll have to think about your notes less. If you want to try out a few different ones, I recommend staying consistent for at least 1-2 weeks to see if you like it. I'm assuming you started a private practice to have some freedom in the way you do therapy and guess what, that applies to your notes, too!Ĭhoose a simple template you can use with all your clients and stick to it. But (a lot of the time) that doesn't work out so well. Many therapists start out in private practice using all the documentation techniques their previous supervisor used. You have options, but make sure you figure out what works best for you so you can be successful. but if the thought of spending two and a half hours (or more) on notes each week for the rest of your career makes you want to throw up, consider checking out collaborative documentation for at least some of your clients. That's pretty reasonable for most people. For example, if you see 15 clients per week and spend about 10 minutes per note that is 2.5 hours you should plan to spend each week on notes. Do the math to see how much time you'll need. Make sure you have time to do your notes that is separate from time you plan to spend on other administrative tasks (like answering emails and phone calls).Īnd make your schedule realistic. Ever hear that saying 'Fail to plan and plan to fail'. Many therapists think they'll squeeze in a few notes between sessions or randomly complete them throughout the week. Note: Of course, any time there are safety concerns, this rule goes out the window and you want to carefully document your actions. Stick with the general theme and leave the rest out! You may have jumped around to a few different things but don't focus on the minor details. Take a moment to think about the main topic you and your client (or clients) reviewed in the session. So what better use of a blog than to write down those most commonly given tips on writing notes?! Below are my most common answers when presented with various problems or questions related to notes. Do you ever find yourself saying the same thing over and over again? I talk with hundreds of therapists and I certainly find myself sharing the same pieces of advice each month.

Smart notes therapy