How I Cut My Documentation Time in Half as a Private Practice Therapist
I’ll be honest: progress notes are my least favorite part of being a therapist.
When I first started my private practice, of course I knew that paperwork would be a part of the job, but I was not prepared for how much mental energy it would take to consistently document my sessions well and on time – especially when my practice transitioned from part-time to full.
Like many therapists, I fell into the “I’ll do it later” trap more times than I care to admit. I’d finish back-to-back sessions, take a deep breath, and promise myself I’d catch up on notes after dinner. But after a long day of holding space for other people, the last thing I wanted to do was open my laptop again for more work. Cue the note pile-up, late-night documentation marathons, and the creeping anxiety that comes from watching the notifications on your SimplePractice profile increase each day.
Eventually, I realized something had to change. I did already have a documentation system in place, but it was no longer working for me. I needed to figure out something new to try that would not cut into the limited time I had to rest, run my business, and be a full human outside of work.
That’s when I revamped my progress note template and it changed everything.
Why Documentation Felt So Hard
Progress notes should not be complicated. And yet for many of us, they are. Even when we know what to include, the actual act of writing the note can feel draining because it requires both memory recall and clinical judgment – two things that get harder the more emotionally and mentally tired we are.
In private practice, especially when you’re the only one responsible for your records, there’s also the added pressure of making sure your documentation meets insurance requirements and protects your license. It’s not just about writing what happened. It’s about making sure the note clearly demonstrates medical necessity, includes the right details (like start and stop time, client location, and diagnosis just to name a few), and reflects the clinical reasoning behind your interventions. Even if you’re a therapist who doesn’t accept insurance, if you provide clients with superbills, you can still be liable for meeting insurance standards because those notes could be requested in an audit or review.
It’s a lot to think about when you’re seeing 20+ clients a week.
The Turning Point
I started to get really curious about my documentation patterns and thinking style. I asked myself: “What’s not working here, and what needs to shift so this can feel more sustainable?”
So I ended up creating a new progress note template.
It included all the essentials and mirrored the natural flow of how I think and process after a session. It helped me document with insurance audits in mind without making me feel like I was writing a novel. What I like most about my progress note template is its versatility – I have it saved as a SimplePractice template that automatically enters into the client’s chart, and I also have it as a clickable, fillable PDF. The PDF version can be printed, which means I can take notes by hand during sessions and then upload it later. That’s important to me because sometimes I get screen fatigue, and other times, physically writing things out helps me retain information better. Having both options makes my workflow more flexible and less draining.
And let me tell you: that one shift cut my documentation time in half. I can finish 6 progress notes in less than 30 minutes.
What’s in the Template?
The progress note template I now use is designed to take the guesswork out of writing notes. It walks you through everything you need to include, whether you’re billing insurance or not:
Start and stop time of session
Client location (in-person, virtual, etc.)
Diagnosis
Medical necessity and symptoms (not just “client is anxious” but what they are actually experiencing)
Therapeutic modalities and interventions used
Client’s response to treatment
Plan for next session or homework assigned
And more
It’s written in a way that makes it easy to plug in your information quickly while still sounding personalized and clinically solid. It’s also ideal for therapists who are still building confidence with documentation and want something that helps them feel secure and supported. And if you’re not comfortable recording sessions for AI-generated notes, this template gives you a streamlined, ethical alternative that keeps you in control.
You can check out the exact template I use here on my Etsy shop (it’s called the Progress Note Template for Therapists).
Why This Matters for Insurance Audits
If you’ve ever been audited (or even just worried about the possibility), you know how important documentation is. Insurance companies look for specific things when reviewing your notes. Some basic things audits will assess are:
Did this session occur?
Was it clinically necessary?
Is there a treatment plan, and is progress being tracked?
Are you billing for the correct CPT code / time frame?
If any of these details are missing – or if the documentation is vague or incomplete – you could be asked to repay money or have your contract terminated.
This is why using a template can be a game changer. It removes the mental load of remembering what needs to be included every time and creates consistency in your notes.
I don’t say that to scare you, I say it because I know how easy it is to accidentally leave something out when you’re tired, distracted, or trying to finish your notes in between sessions. A solid template gives you a safety net and peace of mind.
How It Helped My Brain (and My Schedule)
Once I started using a template, my notes took a fraction of the time. I wasn’t starting from a blank page anymore. I had a roadmap.
Here’s what changed:
I could finish most of my notes during and between sessions. The information was fresh and I eliminated my documentation marathons.
I stopped procrastinating. The mental barrier was gone. I didn’t dread the notes because I knew exactly what to do.
I felt more confident and compliant. I wasn’t second-guessing if I had “done enough” in my note. I knew I had covered what needed to be covered.
I reclaimed my evenings. Instead of writing notes at 9pm, I was able to rest, meal prep for the next day, and enjoy time with my spouse, all without guilt.
That is the kind of freedom that all therapists deserve.
A Tool I Wish I Had Sooner
When I think back to my early days in private practice and even agency work, I wish someone had handed me a tool like this. It would have saved me so much time, stress, and self-doubt! That’s why I decided to make the template available to other therapists who might be in that same overwhelmed place.
Whether you’re brand new to private practice, working toward licensure, or an experienced clinician who’s just tired of overthinking documentation, this template can help.
You can grab it here:
🛒 Progress Note Template for Therapists – Etsy
It’s affordable, easy to use, and downloads instantly. Whether you prefer working digitally or on paper, you can adapt it to your style — use it as a guide to build your own EHR template, save and edit the digital file to reuse as often as you’d like, or print it for easy reference.
You Need a Process That Works
There’s no award for suffering through your notes. You don’t have to do it the hard way just because someone told you that’s how it’s always been done.
You deserve a process that supports your clinical thinking and protects your energy. You deserve to feel confident about your documentation without it taking over your evenings or adding unnecessary stress to your workday.
If your current note process feels clunky, slow, or mentally exhausting, I hope you’ll give this template a try. It was created by a therapist (me!) who gets it. And it’s helped not just me, but several other therapists reclaim their time, reduce their stress, and feel more grounded in their work
Your notes are part of your practice, but they shouldn’t be the part that steals your peace. Let’s work smarter, not harder.
