Mental Health Progress Note Templates and Examples

Writing progress notes is part of care, but it can easily spill into your evenings. The goal of this guide is simple: help you document clearly (and quickly) so your notes still make sense weeks later, support continuity of care, and reflect your clinical reasoning without turning into a transcript.

Below you’ll find mental health progress note templates you can copy, plus examples you can adapt.

Note: If you find yourself constantly battling the clock with documentation, you might want to read our guide on embracing the future of therapy and closing the gaps in AI tools, which explores how to automate this work without losing your clinical voice.

Disclaimer: Educational content only, not legal advice. Follow your local laws, licensing standards, payer rules, and your clinic policy.

What a progress note is (and why it matters)

A mental health progress note is clinical documentation that records what happened in a session, your clinical impression, and what happens next. It typically becomes part of the client’s medical records, so it should be professional, relevant, and written with the assumption it may be read by others involved in care (or in audits, depending on your setting).

For a deeper dive on the nuances of quality documentation, check out our article on how to write psychotherapy notes that stay useful months later.

A good note usually answers:

  • Why was today’s session clinically necessary?
  • What did you do (interventions) and how did the client respond?
  • What changed (progress over time), and what’s the plan for future treatment?

Progress notes vs psychotherapy notes (quick, practical distinction)

In many settings, progress notes are the “shareable” clinical record, while psychotherapy notes (when used) are the clinician’s separate, more private process notes. If your practice uses psychotherapy notes, keep them clearly separated from the progress note to reduce accidental oversharing and to keep documentation clean. (Check your local requirements and organizational policy.)

How to choose a format

These mental health progress note templates cover SOAP, DAP, BIRP, and GIRP. Different templates fit different brains and different settings. Most therapists end up using one format most of the time, then switching when needed.

  • SOAP notes: Best when you want a structured clinical flow from presentation → observation → clinical impression → plan.
  • DAP notes: Best when you want something slightly lighter than SOAP, but still clinically grounded.
  • BIRP notes: Best when the session is intervention-heavy and you want to clearly show what you did and the client’s response.
  • GIRP notes: Best when you document closely against goals and need to map notes to your treatment plan templates.

Template 1: SOAP (template + example)

When SOAP is a good fit

Use SOAP when you want strong structure, especially for documenting symptoms, clinical observations, and next steps.

SOAP template (copy-ready)

Client:
Date:
Session type/length:
Diagnosis/Presenting concerns (as applicable):

S – Subjective
- Client report (mood, symptoms, stressors, wins, concerns):
- Key quotes (optional, brief):
- Risk/safety (if relevant):

O – Objective
- Clinician observations (affect, behavior, appearance, speech, orientation):
- Measures used (if any) + score:

A – Assessment
- Clinical impression (themes, symptom change, functional impact):
- Progress toward goals (progress over time):
- Factors affecting progress (barriers/supports):
- Risk level (if assessed):

P – Plan
- Interventions used today:
- Homework/skills practice:
- Coordination/referrals (if any):
- Plan for future treatment (next focus):
- Next session date/frequency:

SOAP example (depressive symptoms)

Client: A.L. (adult) Date: 02/16/2026 Session: Telehealth, 53 minutes

S – Subjective Client reports “low mood most days” and reduced motivation since a workplace conflict 3 weeks ago. Endorses sleep disruption (waking 2–3x/night) and decreased appetite. Denies SI/HI. Reports one positive change: “I went for a 10-minute walk twice this week.”

O – Objective Affect constricted, tearful at times, speech soft but coherent. Thought process linear, oriented x4. Engaged in session and able to reflect. No psychomotor agitation observed.

A – Assessment Presentation consistent with ongoing depressive symptoms with mild functional impairment (reduced self-care and social withdrawal). Small improvement noted in activity level (2 short walks) compared to last session. Barriers include rumination and avoidance after conflict. Risk assessed as low today (denies SI, has protective factors including partner support and future plans).

P – Plan Interventions: CBT behavioral activation planning, values-based micro-goals, and cognitive reframing of conflict-related beliefs. Homework: Schedule 3 brief activities (10–15 min) tied to values. (See our guide on therapy worksheets for tools to support this). Future treatment: Continue behavioral activation, introduce sleep hygiene plan, and begin identifying core beliefs driving rumination. Next session: 1 week.

Template 2: DAP (template + example)

When DAP is a good fit

Use DAP when you want concise notes that still include your clinical thinking.

DAP template

Client:
Date:
Session type/length:

D – Data
- Main topics discussed:
- Client report + relevant context:
- Observations / measures (if any):
- Risk/safety (if relevant):

A – Assessment
- Clinical impression and themes:
- Response to interventions:
- Progress toward goals:

P – Plan
- Interventions today:
- Next steps / homework:
- Plan for future treatment:
- Next session:

DAP example

Client: J.S. (adult) Date: 02/16/2026 Session: In-person, 50 minutes

D – Data Reviewed week since last session, focused on anxiety spikes before team meetings. Client practiced 4-7-8 breathing twice and reported it “took the edge off.” Observed fidgeting and rapid speech early, which settled after grounding exercise. No safety concerns raised.

A – Assessment Anxiety remains situational and performance-linked. Client demonstrates growing skill use and insight into triggers. Progress toward goal of “reduce avoidance of meetings” is positive (attended 2 meetings without leaving).

P – Plan Used psychoeducation on avoidance cycles and practiced brief exposure planning. Homework: Create a 3-step exposure ladder for meetings and complete step 1 twice. Next session: 1 week; continue exposure and add cognitive restructuring for catastrophizing.

Template 3: BIRP (template + example)

When BIRP is a good fit

BIRP notes can make your interventions and client response very clear, which is helpful in many clinical and supervisory contexts.

BIRP template

Client:
Date:
Session type/length:

B – Behavior
- Presenting issue + observed behavior/affect:
- Client report of symptoms/functional impact:

I – Intervention
- Interventions used (modalities/skills/approach):
- Any coordination/advocacy:

R – Response
- Client response in session (insight, engagement, affect shift):
- Any measurable change:

P – Plan
- Homework/next steps:
- Plan for future treatment:
- Follow-up timing:

BIRP example

Client: M.K. (adult) Date: 02/16/2026 Session: Telehealth, 45 minutes

B – Behavior Client presented with irritability and reported “snapping at everyone” after 3 nights of poor sleep. Affect tense, expressed guilt and frustration. Reports reduced work performance and increased conflict at home.

I – Intervention Provided emotion regulation coaching (labeling, paced breathing), sleep routine review, and problem-solving around bedtime screen use. Introduced brief communication repair script for partner.

R – Response Client visibly relaxed after breathing exercise, identified early warning signs, and agreed to test a reduced-screen routine. Expressed relief: “This feels doable, not like a huge overhaul.”

P – Plan Homework: Implement a 20-minute wind-down routine 4 nights, track sleep quality and irritability. To keep momentum, we utilized between-session therapy activities rather than generic worksheets. Future treatment: Focus on sleep stabilization, emotion regulation, and relapse prevention planning. Next session in 1 week.

Template 4: GIRP (template + example)

When GIRP is a good fit

Use GIRP when you want the note to line up tightly with treatment goals and outcomes. This format works exceptionally well when you need to track specific metrics found in treatment plan templates and outcome tracking examples.

GIRP template

Client:
Date:
Session type/length:

G – Goal
- Active treatment goal addressed today:

I – Intervention
- What you did (skills, modality, exercises):

R – Response
- How the client responded:
- Progress over time (what’s changing, what’s stuck):

P – Plan
- Next steps / homework:
- Plan for future treatment:
- Next session:

GIRP example

Client: R.D. (adult) Date: 02/16/2026 Session: In-person, 55 minutes

G – Goal Increase social connection by reducing avoidance and building coping skills for anticipatory anxiety.

I – Intervention Reviewed exposure hierarchy, rehearsed a brief coping plan (grounding + self-compassion statement), and practiced a role-play for initiating a short social interaction.

R – Response Client engaged in role-play and reported anxiety decreased from 7/10 to 4/10 during practice. Noted progress since last month (now attending one weekly activity), though avoidance remains high in unstructured social settings.

P – Plan Homework: Complete two planned exposures at the “low difficulty” level, track anxiety before/after, and bring notes next session. Future treatment: Expand exposures and address underlying beliefs about rejection. Next session in 1 week.

What to include (and what to avoid) for cleaner notes

Include

  • The minimum necessary context for continuity
  • Interventions used and clinical rationale (brief)
  • Changes over time (even small ones)
  • Clear next step (homework, follow-up, referrals)

Avoid

  • A word-for-word transcript of the session
  • Details that aren’t clinically relevant (especially third-party info)
  • Judgmental or speculative language—keep it behavior-based and observable

A fast “good note” checklist (60 seconds)

Before you sign:

  1. Could another clinician understand what happened and what’s next?
  2. Does the note connect to a goal or treatment focus?
  3. Is risk addressed when relevant?
  4. Is the plan specific enough to guide future treatment?
  5. Did you capture at least one marker of progress over time?

If you want to spend less time writing, Emosapien can help draft mental health progress note templates in your preferred format, while you stay in control. If you want to move beyond templates and see how an AI Co-Therapist can handle the drafting for you, consider exploring how Emosapien works alongside you in the session with starting your journey with Emosapien.