SOAP Notes for Therapy Template (UK)
Clear session notes support good clinical decisions, protect your clients and help you meet the standards of the HCPC, BACP or UKCP. Our free SOAP Notes for Therapy template gives you the same structure every session, so writing up takes minutes rather than eating into your evening.
Download the blank, fillable PDF or the completed example below, then read on for guidance on writing each section well.
What are SOAP notes for therapy?
SOAP stands for Subjective, Objective, Assessment and Plan. It's one of the most widely used formats for clinical notes, and it adapts well to counselling and psychological therapy, where much of the session content is what the client tells you and how they present.
This template adds what therapy sessions need that a generic SOAP note leaves out: session number and modality, referral and funding route (self-funded, insurer or NHS-commissioned), a risk and safeguarding section and your registration number.
Subjective
The client's account of how things have been. Record their presenting concerns, mood, sleep, stressors and anything that has changed since the last session, along with how they got on with any between-session tasks. Short direct quotes are valuable because they capture the client's own framing.
Example: Client reports the past fortnight has felt "a bit more manageable". Completed thought records on 5 of 7 days. Rates average anxiety 5/10, down from 7/10 at assessment.
Objective
What you observed and measured. In therapy this usually covers:
- Appearance, behaviour and engagement
- Mood (as described) and affect (as observed)
- Speech, thought form and content, and perception
- Outcome measures such as the PHQ-9, GAD-7 or CORE-10, compared with baseline
- Worksheets or diaries reviewed in session
Keep this section factual. Interpretation belongs in the assessment.
Assessment
Your clinical reasoning. Bring the subjective and objective information together to describe the working formulation, how the client is progressing towards their goals, and what is helping or getting in the way. If outcome measures have changed, say what that means clinically, for example a move from the moderate to the mild range.
Plan
What happened in session and what happens next:
- Interventions used (e.g. cognitive restructuring, behavioural experiments, grounding)
- Between-session tasks agreed with the client
- Changes to goals or the number of sessions
- Onward referrals or liaison with the GP
- Date of the next session
Risk and safeguarding
Every session note should show that risk was considered. Tick the level you've assessed and briefly note the basis: thoughts of self-harm or suicide, intent, plans, protective factors, and any safeguarding concerns for the client or others. If nothing was identified, record that too.
How to use this template
- Download the PDF. It's A4 and fillable, so you can type straight into it or print it for handwritten notes.
- Complete the session details. Client name and ID, date, time and duration, session number, format (in person, video or phone), referral or funding route and modality.
- Work through S, O, A and P. Write the note as soon as you can after the session, while the detail is fresh.
- Record risk and safeguarding. Tick a level and add a brief note, even when no risk was identified.
- Sign and store securely. Add your signature, registration number and the date, then file the note in your practice management system.
Who can use this template?
The template suits any UK practitioner delivering talking therapies, including:
- HCPC-registered clinical and counselling psychologists
- BACP, UKCP and NCPS registered counsellors and psychotherapists
- BABCP-accredited CBT therapists
- Psychological wellbeing practitioners and high-intensity therapists
- Trainees, as a consistent format for supervision
Tips for writing therapy SOAP notes
Write for the next reader. Notes may be read by a colleague, a supervisor, the client or a court. Write clearly, professionally and without judgement.
Measure what you can. "Anxiety improved" is hard to evidence. "GAD-7 reduced from 16 to 11 since assessment" shows progress and supports reviews with insurers or commissioners.
Link the plan to the assessment. Each intervention should connect to a goal or barrier you've identified.
Separate process notes. If you keep personal reflections or process notes, store them separately from the clinical record and be aware they may still be disclosable.
Store notes securely. Health data is special category data under UK GDPR. Keep notes in a secure system with access controls, make sure you're registered with the ICO if required, and follow your professional body's guidance on retention.
Frequently asked questions
Do therapists in the UK have to keep session notes?
The HCPC standards require registrants to keep full, clear and accurate records. BACP, UKCP and other bodies expect members to keep records appropriate to their work. In practice, almost all therapists keep a brief note of each session.
Can clients see their therapy notes?
Yes. Under UK GDPR, clients can make a subject access request for the personal data you hold about them, including session notes, with limited exceptions. Write every note on the assumption that the client may read it.
How long should a therapy SOAP note be?
Most notes fit comfortably on one page. Aim for enough detail that another practitioner could pick up the client's care, without transcribing the session.
Can I use this template for online sessions?
Yes. Select video or phone as the format, and note anything relevant about the setting in the objective section, such as whether the client was somewhere private.