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SOAP & DAP session note templates

The two most widely used progress-note formats, adapted for Indian private practice — with guidance on what belongs in each section and how to keep notes that protect both you and your client.

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Session Note Templates — SOAP & DAP

Two widely used progress-note formats, adapted for Indian private practice. Pick one and use it consistently.

Session header (both formats)

Client name / initials or code:  

Session date & number (e.g. 12/07/2026 — session 8):  

Mode & duration (in person / online · e.g. 50 min):  

Session status

  • Attended
  • Cancelled (with notice)
  • Late cancellation
  • No show

Format A — SOAP note

S — Subjective (what the client reports: mood, events since last session, concerns in their own words)

O — Objective (what you observe: presentation, affect, engagement, notable behaviour; scores from any measures used)

A — Assessment (your clinical impression: progress toward goals, themes, risk status, changes in formulation)

P — Plan (next steps: interventions planned, between-session tasks, referrals, next appointment)

Format B — DAP note

D — Data (combines subjective + objective: what happened in session, what the client reported, what you observed)

A — Assessment (your clinical impression: how the data relates to goals and formulation; risk status)

P — Plan (next steps, tasks, next session focus and date)

Risk note (use whenever relevant)

Risk assessment (ideation/intent/plan explored, protective factors, safety plan actions, consultations made)

Sign-off

Therapist signature:  

Date:  

Disclaimer: this template is a starting point, not legal or medical advice. Adapt it to your practice and have a qualified professional — a lawyer, chartered accountant, or your clinical supervisor, as relevant — review it before you use it with clients.

How to use this template

SOAP or DAP? SOAP separates what the client reports (S) from what you observe (O) — useful for structured work and coordination with psychiatrists. DAP merges the two into Data, which many therapists find more natural for talk therapy. Both end in the same Assessment and Plan; pick one and be consistent.

Progress notes vs process notes. These templates are for progress notes — the professional record of what happened and what’s planned. Keep private process notes (hypotheses, countertransference reflections) separate if you keep them at all, and write every progress note as if the client may one day read it — under the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017 framework, clients can request access to their basic records.

Write less, but always the same things. In Indian private practice no insurer audits your notes — the discipline has to be your own. A five-line note written the same day beats a page written from memory a week later. Always record risk explicitly when it comes up, including what you did.

Store securely. Notes are among the most sensitive records you hold: encrypted storage with access control for digital notes, locked storage for paper — and a retention policy you actually follow.

Want the full picture? Our guide Session notes that help you (and protect you) walks through SOAP vs DAP with worked examples, retention expectations under Indian frameworks, client access requests, and the over- and under-documentation traps.

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