Therapy session notes template (UK)
Good session notes are short, factual and written soon after the session. Here is what they should contain, a template you can copy, a worked example, and what the professional bodies actually say about records.
By the NoteSono team · Last reviewed · 7 sources checked
The short answer
A good therapy session note records the date and attendance, the main themes, a short factual summary of what happened, what you did, how the client responded, any risk discussed, and what was agreed for next time. It should be written close to the session and kept to what is needed for the work.
BACP does not prescribe a format, but its Ethical Framework (point 15) asks for records that are accurate, "adequate, relevant and limited to what is necessary", and compliant with data protection law. UKCP asks for records that are "accurate, legible and timely". A free template and worked example are below.
What a good session note contains
Whatever format you use, a useful note answers the questions a colleague, your supervisor, or the client reading it later would ask: what happened, what did you do, and what happens next. In practice that means:
- The basics: client reference, date, time, format (in person, video or phone), session number and attendance.
- The main themes the client brought, in a line or two.
- A factual summary of the session, with the client's own words in quotation marks where they matter.
- What you did: the interventions or approach you used.
- How the client responded, and what you observed. Describe, do not diagnose.
- Whether risk or safeguarding came up, and where the fuller record is if it did.
- What was agreed: tasks, focus for next time, and the next appointment.
- Any contact outside the session, such as emails, letters or referrals.
Leave out what the work does not need. BACP's resource on confidentiality and record keeping (GPiA 065) suggests briefer, more factual notes written close to the session, and points to the data minimisation principle: notes should be "adequate, relevant and limited to what is necessary for the service being provided".
Write as if the client will read it
Free therapy session notes template
This general template works for most one-to-one counselling and psychotherapy. Copy it into your own document, or download it as a Word file. Replace everything in highlighted brackets and delete headings you do not use.
A worked example
Here is the same template filled in for a fictional client, to show the level of detail that is usually enough. It is around 250 words.
SOAP, DAP, BIRP or narrative?
Structured formats are simply different ways of arranging the same information. None is required by BACP, which says it does not "stipulate what notes should look like". Pick the one that fits how you work, and use it consistently.
| Format | Sections | Often suits |
|---|---|---|
| SOAP | Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan | Practitioners working alongside medical or multidisciplinary teams. See how to write SOAP notes. |
| DAP | Data, Assessment, Plan | Counsellors who want something shorter than SOAP. See DAP vs SOAP. |
| BIRP | Behaviour, Intervention, Response, Plan | Work where you want to show clearly what you did and how the client responded. See what BIRP is. |
| Narrative | Free text, usually in a set order | Relational and humanistic practitioners who find headings get in the way. Keep it short and factual. |
The template above is a general format with headings that map onto all of these. If you switch format later, the content you record stays the same.
Process notes vs the clinical record
Many therapists keep two kinds of writing: the clinical record (the factual session note) and process notes (personal reflections on the relationship, their own responses, and material to take to supervision).
Keeping them apart is sensible. It keeps the clinical record short and factual, and stops reflections ending up in letters or reports where they do not belong. But it does not take process notes outside the law. BACP's GPiA 065 says a client "is lawfully entitled to seek their disclosure whether or not they are in the client file or stored separately". If a note identifies the client, assume they could one day read it.
- Keep process notes brief and about the work, not about your own life.
- Use initials or a reference, not the client's name.
- Store them as securely as the record itself, and include them in your retention policy.
- Do not edit or destroy them after a client asks for their records. BACP and the ICO both say it is an offence to amend records with the intention of preventing disclosure.
What BACP, UKCP and NCPS expect of records
None of the main bodies publishes a compulsory note format. Each sets out the qualities a record should have.
| Body | What it says |
|---|---|
| BACP Ethical Framework | Point 15: keep accurate records that are "adequate, relevant and limited to what is necessary for the type of service being provided" and comply with data protection requirements. Point 31e: keep a record of what has been agreed with the client and of any changes. |
| BACP on whether to keep notes | There is no legal requirement to keep notes, but BACP recommends making them, and a member who keeps none may need to explain why if a complaint is made. |
| UKCP Code of Ethics (2019) | Clause 20: keep records which are "accurate, legible and timely", and keep clients' information confidential, subject to legal and ethical requirements. |
| NCPS Code of Ethics | Client records must be "appropriate, accurate, relevant, lawful and secure", and notes should be kept secure and confidential. It adds that record keeping raises complex ethical and legal issues, and supervisory support is important. |
Retention
There is no single legal retention period for private practice therapy notes. BACP says practitioners should set a retention period, tell clients what it is before therapy starts, and not keep records longer than necessary. As an example, BACP mentions keeping notes for a minimum of three years after the work ends, to match its three-year window for complaints. Our guide to how long to keep therapy notes covers the options in detail.
Correcting a note
If you need to change a note after it is written, add a dated correction rather than rewriting the original. Never alter notes after a client has asked to see them: GPiA 065 says "it is an offence to make any amendment with the intention of preventing disclosure", and the ICO says the same.
Common questions
Do counsellors have to keep session notes in the UK?
There is no general legal requirement to keep notes. BACP recommends that notes are made, its Ethical Framework asks for accurate records, and a member who keeps no notes may need to explain why if a complaint is made. Employers and insurers may also have their own requirements.
How long should a therapy session note be?
Long enough to show what happened, what you did and what comes next, and no longer. For a typical weekly session, a few short paragraphs is usually enough. BACP asks for records that are adequate, relevant and limited to what is necessary.
Which is better, SOAP or DAP?
Neither is required. SOAP separates what the client said from what you observed, which suits work alongside medical teams. DAP is shorter and suits many counsellors. Choose one and use it consistently.
Can clients see my process notes?
Possibly. BACP guidance says a client is lawfully entitled to seek disclosure of reflections that identify them, whether they are in the client file or stored separately. Write process notes on that basis.
When should I write up session notes?
As soon after the session as you can. UKCP asks for timely records, and BACP guidance questions how accurately a therapist can remember sessions written up at the end of the week.
Sources
Checked on 30 October 2026. Rules and prices change, so check the source before you rely on a figure.
- BACP Ethical Framework for the Counselling Professions (2018) — points 15 and 31
- BACP Ethical Framework: working to professional standards — point 15 on records
- BACP: Confidentiality and record keeping (GPiA 065, January 2024) — what counts as a record, reflections, amendments
- BACP: Notes and record keeping (blog, 21 March 2025) — no prescribed format, retention
- UKCP Code of Ethics and Professional Practice (2019) — clause 20
- National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society Code of Ethics — confidentiality and maintenance of records
- ICO: Right of access detailed guidance — amending data after a request
This guide is general information, not legal or clinical advice. It reflects the guidance as we read it on the date above. Your professional body's, employer's and insurer's current guidance takes precedence.