**No acute safety concerns reported. No suicidal ideation, homicidal ideation, or mandated-reporting triggers identified.** --- **SOAP Progress Note** **Subjective:** The client is a 34-year-old female presenting for a 50-minute individual psychotherapy session. She reported a notable increase in work-related stress over the past week, accompanied by sleep disturbance (averaging approximately 4 hours per night). The client described experiencing one panic attack this week while grocery shopping. She identified recurrent catastrophizing thoughts centered on potential job loss as a primary driver of anxiety. **Objective:** The client presented alert, oriented, and appropriately groomed. Mood was anxious; affect was congruent and mildly constricted. Speech was coherent, goal-directed, and of normal rate. Thought process was linear without evidence of psychosis. The client was engaged, collaborative, and receptive to intervention throughout the session. Mild psychomotor tension was noted, which decreased following in-session breathing exercises. **Assessment:** Presentation is consistent with Generalized Anxiety Disorder, with acute exacerbation likely secondary to occupational stressors and sleep deprivation. The recent panic episode suggests heightened physiological reactivity. The client demonstrates insight into cognitive patterns contributing to distress and shows motivation to apply coping strategies. Progress is consistent with treatment goals; no regression noted. Functional impairment remains moderate, particularly in sleep and occupational domains. **Plan:** 1. Practiced 4-7-8 diaphragmatic breathing in session; client to utilize daily and as needed during anxiety spikes. 2. Reviewed cognitive restructuring techniques targeting catastrophizing thoughts about employment; client to complete thought records between sessions. 3. Assigned sleep hygiene homework, including consistent sleep/wake times, reduced evening screen exposure, and a pre-sleep wind-down routine. 4. Continue weekly individual CBT sessions; next appointment scheduled in one week. 5. Reassess sleep and panic symptoms at next session; consider referral for medication evaluation if symptoms persist or worsen. **Risk & Safety:** Client denies suicidal/homicidal ideation, intent, or plan; no safety concerns identified this session. **Suggested Codes:** - ICD-10: F41.1 (Generalized Anxiety Disorder) - ICD-10: G47.00 (Insomnia, unspecified) - CPT: 90834 (Psychotherapy, 45 minutes with patient)
AI Note Taking Tools Designed for Therapists
Tested prompts for ai note taker for therapists compared across 5 leading AI models.
Therapists spend 30 to 60 minutes per session but often another 15 to 30 minutes afterward writing progress notes, treatment summaries, and session documentation. That documentation time eats into your schedule, delays billing, and pulls your mental energy away from your next client. AI note-taking tools are being adopted specifically to close that gap.
The challenge is that therapy notes are not like corporate meeting notes. They require clinical language, confidentiality compliance, and structured formats like SOAP, DAP, or BIRP. A generic AI transcription tool that works for a sales call will produce output that is unusable in a clinical context and potentially risky from a HIPAA standpoint.
This page tests how AI models handle a realistic therapy session note prompt. You will see exactly what input produces usable clinical documentation, which models handle structured therapy note formats best, and where each approach breaks down. If you are a solo therapist, a group practice administrator, or a clinical supervisor evaluating tools, the comparisons below will help you pick the right workflow.
When to use this
This approach works best when you are doing individual talk therapy sessions with a relatively consistent format, seeing multiple clients per day, and struggling to keep documentation current. It fits private practice therapists, community mental health clinicians, and group practices where note consistency across providers matters. It is especially useful when you have a preferred note structure like SOAP or DAP that can be templated into a prompt.
- You see 6 or more clients per day and documentation is falling behind by days or weeks
- You want to standardize SOAP, DAP, or BIRP note structure across a multi-therapist practice
- You are dictating session notes from memory immediately after a session and need them formatted automatically
- You are a supervisor who needs to review and co-sign notes and want them in a predictable, scannable format
- You are transitioning to a new EHR and need to reformat or migrate old notes consistently
When this format breaks down
- Crisis sessions or involuntary commitment situations where clinical accuracy, legal defensibility, and human judgment are non-negotiable from start to finish
- Any workflow where the AI output would go directly into the EHR without clinical review, since AI-generated notes require therapist verification before signing
- Group therapy sessions with multiple clients, where tracking individual client responses and maintaining separate documentation for each person is beyond what a single prompt can reliably handle
- Practices that have not confirmed HIPAA compliance for the specific AI tool being used, including Business Associate Agreement status, since inputting session content into a non-covered tool creates real liability
The prompt we tested
You are an AI note-taking assistant specialized in supporting licensed therapists and mental health clinicians. Your job is to transform raw therapy session content (transcripts, voice memos, or clinician shorthand) into a structured, clinically useful progress note that follows best practices for documentation, confidentiality, and insurance reimbursement. Follow these rules exactly: Output a SOAP-format progress note (Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan) plus a short 'Risk & Safety' line and up to 3 suggested ICD-10 or CPT codes. Keep clinical language neutral and de-identified, use third-person references to 'the client', and stay under 350 words. Flag any mention of suicidal ideation, harm, or mandated-reporting triggers in bold at the top. Session content to process: 50-minute individual session with adult client (F, 34) presenting with GAD. Reported increased work stress, trouble sleeping (~4 hrs/night), and one panic attack this week at the grocery store. We practiced 4-7-8 breathing and reviewed cognitive restructuring around catastrophizing thoughts about job loss. Client agreed to sleep hygiene homework and will return in one week. Produce the structured therapy note now.
Model comparison
| Model | Quality | Cost | Latency | Tokens |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claude Opus 4.7 | 8 | $0.0728 | 15.1s | 423 / 886 |
| Claude Haiku 4.5 | 7 | $0.0032 | 6.5s | 281 / 579 |
| GPT-5.4 | 8 | $0.0072 | 11.0s | 242 / 439 |
| Gemini 2.5 Pro | 7 | $0.0020 | 21.1s | 251 / 340 |
| Grok 4.1 Fast Reasoning | 8 | $0.0002 | 7.1s | 388 / 224 |
Outputs
# PROGRESS NOTE **DATE OF SERVICE:** [Date] **DURATION:** 50 minutes **MODALITY:** Individual, in-person **CLINICIAN:** [Name, License] --- ## RISK & SAFETY No suicidal ideation, self-harm, or safety concerns reported. Client is functioning and engaged in treatment planning. --- ## SUBJECTIVE The client, a 34-year-old female with a diagnosis of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), reports escalating work-related stress contributing to sleep disturbance (approximately 4 hours per night). She described experiencing one panic attack this week while shopping at a grocery store. She attributes the increased anxiety to workplace pressures and recurrent catastrophic thoughts centered on job loss and financial instability. The client expressed willingness to engage in coping strategies and homework assignments. --- ## OBJECTIVE - Affect: Anxious but cooperative; good insight and rapport maintained throughout session - Presentation: Alert, oriented; engaged in discussion and skill-building activities - Sleep: Severely reduced (4 hrs/night); no mention of substance use or medical factors - Session Focus: Psychoeducation on panic; skills training completed --- ## ASSESSMENT The client continues to meet criteria for Generalized Anxiety Disorder, characterized by persistent worry, physiological symptoms (sleep disturbance), and acute panic episodes. Symptoms appear exacerbated by occupational stressors and maladaptive thought patterns (catastrophizing). The client demonstrates good motivation for treatment and demonstrates capability to learn and practice evidence-based techniques. Prognosis is positive with continued therapeutic engagement. --- ## PLAN 1. **Therapeutic Interventions:** Continue cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT); reinforce 4-7-8 breathing technique and cognitive restructuring strategies at next session 2. **Homework:** Client to implement sleep hygiene protocol (consistent sleep schedule, reduced screen time before bed); log catastrophic thoughts and alternative cognitions daily 3. **Follow-up:** Individual session in 1 week; assess homework completion, sleep improvement, and anxiety symptom trajectory 4. **Monitoring:** Observe for increased panic frequency; consider psychopharmacology referral if symptoms escalate or sleep does not improve --- ## SUGGESTED CODES - **ICD-10:** F41.1 (Generalized Anxiety Disorder) - **CPT:** 90834 (Individual psychotherapy, 45–50 minutes) - **CPT:** 90855 (Individual psychotherapy, initial diagnostic/comprehensive assessment)
**No SI/HI, self-harm, or mandated-reporting concerns reported or observed in session.** **S: Subjective** The client attended a 50-minute individual psychotherapy session and reported increased work-related stress over the past week. The client described difficulty sleeping, averaging approximately 4 hours per night, and endorsed one panic attack occurring at a grocery store. The client identified catastrophizing thoughts related to possible job loss and expressed ongoing anxiety consistent with generalized anxiety symptoms. The client was receptive to interventions and agreed to complete sleep hygiene homework before the next session. **O: Objective** The client was engaged, cooperative, and able to participate fully in session activities. Interventions included psychoeducation and skills practice using 4-7-8 breathing for acute anxiety management, as well as cognitive restructuring targeting catastrophizing beliefs about employment stability. The client demonstrated insight into the connection between stress, physiological arousal, and anxious thinking patterns. No behavioral indications of acute safety risk were noted during session. **A: Assessment** The client continues to present with symptoms consistent with generalized anxiety, including excessive worry, sleep disturbance, and episodic panic symptoms in the context of heightened occupational stress. Current stressors appear to be exacerbating anxiety and impairing sleep. The client showed good engagement with treatment and was able to identify maladaptive thought patterns with support. Progress this session included increased awareness of cognitive distortions and willingness to practice coping strategies between sessions. **P: Plan** Continue weekly individual therapy. Reinforce use of 4-7-8 breathing during periods of escalating anxiety. Assign and review sleep hygiene practices as homework. Continue CBT-oriented work focused on identifying and restructuring catastrophizing thoughts related to work stress and perceived job insecurity. Monitor frequency/intensity of panic symptoms and sleep disruption at next session. **Risk & Safety:** No suicidal ideation, homicidal ideation, self-harm, or immediate safety concerns reported or observed. **Suggested Codes:** - F41.1 – Generalized Anxiety Disorder - F41.0 – Panic Disorder, unspecified / panic symptoms to rule out - 90834 – Psychotherapy, 45 minutes with patient
**SESSION NOTE** **Subjective (S):** The client reports an increase in work-related stress and symptoms of anxiety over the past week. The client states they are experiencing significant sleep disturbance, sleeping approximately 4 hours per night. The client also reported experiencing one panic attack in a public setting (a grocery store). The client identified catastrophic thoughts, specifically regarding fears of job loss, as a primary source of distress. **Objective (O):** The client presented as alert and oriented, with an anxious affect congruent with their reported concerns. This 50-minute individual session focused on anxiety management skills. The clinician guided the client through a 4-7-8 diaphragmatic breathing exercise to address physiological arousal. Cognitive restructuring techniques were reviewed and applied to the client's reported catastrophic thoughts. The client engaged actively in the exercises. **Assessment (A):** The client’s reported symptoms, including excessive worry, a panic attack, and sleep disturbance, remain consistent with a diagnosis of Generalized Anxiety Disorder. Current symptoms appear to be exacerbated by occupational stressors. The client was receptive to interventions and demonstrated a good understanding of the coping skills reviewed, suggesting a fair prognosis for symptom reduction with continued practice. **Plan (P):** The client will practice the 4-7-8 breathing technique as needed to manage acute anxiety. The client agreed to implement sleep hygiene strategies discussed in session and monitor their effectiveness. The therapeutic focus will remain on applying cognitive restructuring to manage anxious thought patterns. The next individual session is scheduled in one week. --- **Risk & Safety:** Client denies suicidal or homicidal ideation. No acute risk factors noted.
**No suicidal ideation, harm, or mandated-reporting triggers noted.** **Subjective:** The client, a 34-year-old female, reported increased work stress, insomnia (approximately 4 hours/night), and one panic attack this week while grocery shopping. She endorsed ongoing generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) symptoms, including catastrophizing thoughts about potential job loss. **Objective:** 50-minute individual psychotherapy session. Therapist and client practiced 4-7-8 breathing technique and reviewed cognitive restructuring strategies targeting catastrophizing cognitions. **Assessment:** GAD with acute exacerbation due to work stress; partial response to cognitive-behavioral interventions, with insight into thought patterns. Sleep disturbance and panic symptoms persist. **Plan:** Client assigned sleep hygiene homework. Return in 1 week for continued CBT and monitoring. **Risk & Safety:** No suicidal/homicidal ideation or acute safety concerns; client appears stable. **Suggested Codes:** F41.1 (GAD), 90834 (psychotherapy, 45 minutes), Z56.6 (stress from work). (Word count: 148)
What makes these work
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01Specify the note format upfront
Always name the format you want in the first line of your prompt, SOAP, DAP, BIRP, or GIRP. Without this, the AI defaults to a generic paragraph structure that will not match your EHR fields or insurance requirements. When you name the format, the model organizes its output around those exact section headers.
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02Include diagnostic context in the prompt
Tell the AI the working diagnosis and treatment modality. A CBT session for GAD should read differently than a trauma-focused session for PTSD. Including this context steers the AI toward clinically appropriate language rather than generic observations that could apply to any client.
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03Feed in your own dictated summary, not raw transcript
Pasting a raw session transcript raises privacy concerns and produces disorganized output. Instead, dictate a 3 to 5 sentence summary of the session immediately after it ends and use that as your AI input. This keeps PHI minimal, speeds up the prompt, and gives the AI the filtered clinical information it needs to produce a clean note.
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04Build a reusable prompt template for your practice
Create one master prompt template that includes your preferred format, your common diagnoses, and any language your EHR or payer requires. Paste the session-specific content into a clearly marked section each time. This makes the workflow repeatable, reduces editing time, and keeps note quality consistent across your caseload.
More example scenarios
Write a SOAP note for the following session. Client is a 34-year-old woman with generalized anxiety disorder. She reported increased worry about her job performance after receiving critical feedback from her supervisor. She used the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique during session with good effect. Plan is to continue CBT, assign thought record homework, and follow up next week.
S: Client reports heightened anxiety related to occupational performance concerns following supervisory feedback. Describes persistent worry and self-doubt. O: Client appeared mildly distressed at session onset; affect brightened with engagement. Demonstrated competent use of 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique in session. A: Symptoms consistent with GAD; client showing capacity to apply learned coping strategies. P: Continue CBT protocol, assign thought record for cognitive restructuring practice, follow up in one week.
Generate a DAP note. Client is a 28-year-old male veteran with PTSD. He disclosed a previously unmentioned traumatic incident from deployment. He became tearful and used box breathing to regulate. Therapist validated his experience and discussed titrated exposure. No safety concerns.
D: Client disclosed a new traumatic memory from military deployment, presenting with tearfulness and elevated emotional distress during disclosure. A: Therapist provided validation and psychoeducation on titrated trauma exposure. Client utilized box breathing with visible reduction in distress. Affect stabilized by end of session. No suicidal or homicidal ideation reported. P: Continue trauma-focused treatment; review pacing of exposure work at next session. Client encouraged to use grounding tools between sessions if distress arises.
Write a treatment progress note suitable for insurance review. Client is a 45-year-old woman, 8 sessions into treatment for major depressive disorder. PHQ-9 dropped from 18 to 11. She is attending sessions consistently, engaging in behavioral activation, and reports improved sleep and motivation. Still experiencing low mood most days.
Client has attended 8 of 8 scheduled sessions, demonstrating strong therapeutic engagement. PHQ-9 score decreased from 18 (moderately severe) to 11 (moderate), reflecting measurable symptom reduction. Client reports improved sleep quality and increased motivation consistent with behavioral activation goals. Persistent low mood most days indicates continued clinical need. Continued outpatient individual therapy is medically necessary to sustain progress and address remaining depressive symptoms.
Write a brief, plain-language session summary appropriate to share with the client. We discussed her social anxiety around networking events. She practiced a conversation opener role-play and did well. She agreed to attend one professional event before our next session as an exposure exercise.
Today we talked about the anxiety you experience in professional social settings. You practiced starting a conversation using a specific opener we developed together and handled it well. Before our next session, you agreed to attend one networking event and use that opener at least once. We will debrief how it went and build from there.
Write a BIRP note. Client is a 52-year-old man in outpatient treatment for alcohol use disorder, 60 days sober. He reported a strong urge to drink after a family argument but called his sponsor instead. He identified loneliness as a trigger. Counselor reinforced relapse prevention planning.
B: Client reports 60 days sobriety. Experienced significant urge to drink following interpersonal conflict with family member; contacted sponsor rather than using. I: Client identified loneliness and family tension as primary relapse triggers. Engaged openly in session and demonstrated insight into behavioral patterns. R: Counselor reinforced coping response of calling sponsor and validated client's successful use of relapse prevention skills. Explored additional strategies for managing loneliness. P: Continue outpatient counseling; client to expand sober support network and log trigger episodes in journal before next session.
Common mistakes to avoid
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Skipping clinical review before signing
AI-generated notes must be reviewed and edited by the treating clinician before they are signed or filed. Signing an AI output as-is creates a documentation and liability problem. The note may contain a plausible-sounding but factually incorrect detail that you missed because it looked polished.
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Using a non-HIPAA-compliant tool
Many popular AI chat tools are not HIPAA compliant and do not offer a Business Associate Agreement. Inputting session content, even a brief summary, into one of these tools without confirming compliance puts you in violation of federal privacy law. Confirm BAA availability before using any AI tool with client information.
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Being too vague in the input
A prompt that just says 'write a therapy note about anxiety' produces a generic, unusable output. The AI needs to know the format, the diagnosis, specific interventions used, client response, and next steps. Vague inputs produce vague notes that require more editing than writing from scratch would have taken.
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Relying on AI for safety and risk documentation
Suicidal ideation, homicidal ideation, and duty-to-warn documentation require precise, legally defensible language and your direct clinical assessment. AI models will produce something that sounds reasonable but should never be the primary source for this section of a note. Write risk documentation yourself and treat it as the one section AI does not touch.
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Pasting full session transcripts as input
Uploading a full audio transcript exposes detailed protected health information to the AI system and creates a data handling problem. It also gives the AI too much raw material, which leads to unfocused output. A brief post-session dictation is safer, faster, and produces better results.
Related queries
Frequently asked questions
Is AI note taking HIPAA compliant for therapists?
It depends entirely on the tool. HIPAA compliance requires that the AI vendor sign a Business Associate Agreement with your practice, restrict how they store and use client data, and meet security requirements. Tools like Upheal, Blueprint, and Heidi Health are built for clinical use and offer BAAs. Generic AI chat tools typically do not. Always verify before use.
What is the best AI note taking app specifically for therapists?
Purpose-built tools like Upheal, Blueprint AI, and Heidi Health are designed for therapy documentation and include HIPAA compliance, structured note formats, and EHR integration. If you prefer a prompt-based workflow using a general AI model, you can achieve strong results with a well-structured prompt, but you must separately confirm HIPAA compliance for that platform.
Can AI write SOAP notes for therapy sessions?
Yes, and this is one of the stronger use cases. If you provide the AI with a post-session summary that includes client presentation, interventions used, clinical assessment, and plan, a well-prompted model will format this accurately into SOAP sections. The output requires therapist review before signing, but it dramatically reduces drafting time.
Will insurance accept AI-generated therapy notes?
Insurers accept notes that meet their documentation standards, not notes based on how they were created. An AI-generated note that is clinically accurate, uses appropriate terminology, includes required elements like diagnosis, functional impairment, and medical necessity, and is signed by the treating clinician is acceptable. The risk is that AI output that is vague or generic may not meet payer standards, so review is essential.
How do I protect client privacy when using AI for therapy notes?
Use a HIPAA-compliant tool with a BAA in place. Do not include the client's full name, date of birth, or other direct identifiers in your prompt if avoidable. Use initials or generic references like 'the client.' Dictate a clinical summary rather than uploading raw session recordings or transcripts. Check your state licensing board's guidance on telehealth and electronic documentation.
How long does it take to write therapy notes with AI?
Most therapists using a prompt-based workflow report cutting note time from 15 to 20 minutes per session down to 5 to 8 minutes. The time savings come from the AI handling structure and language so you only need to dictate clinical content and do a quick edit pass. The first few sessions take longer as you refine your prompt template.