How to Write a DAP Note: A thoughtful and structured approach to therapy documentation

The DAP note is a widely used format in psychotherapy settings, valued for its clarity and focus. Short for Data, Assessment, and Plan, the DAP note simplifies documentation without sacrificing clinical depth. With fewer sections than formats like SOAP or BIRP, each part carries more weight — encouraging careful attention to content, clinical reasoning, and documentation of medical necessity.

In this guide, we’ll walk through each section of the DAP note format with reflective prompts and sample language, helping you to document psychotherapy sessions in a way that’s both efficient and clinically grounded. Let’s take a look…

D — Data

The Data section combines both subjective and objective information. This includes what the client reported, what was observed during the session, the main themes discussed, the therapeutic interventions used, and the client’s response. In short, the Data section captures the essence of what happened during the session.

Clinician Prompt:

💡 What did the client bring to the session, what did I observe, what did we discuss, what did I do clinically, and how did the client respond?

Example Statements:

• The client appeared disheveled but oriented; reported difficulty focusing at work and increasing feelings of isolation. Stated, “I’ve been floating through the days like a ghost.” Affect was flat, though cooperative throughout the session.
• Themes explored included recent conflict with a sibling, unresolved grief related to the death of a parent, and ongoing struggles with emotional regulation.
• Interventions included emotion labeling exercises, psychoeducation on grief responses, and exploration of unexpressed anger in familial relationships.
• Client responded with moments of emotional intensity and insight, expressing appreciation for the space to reflect. Reported feeling “lighter” by the end of the session, though remained tearful when leaving.

A — Assessment

This section is where the clinician reflects on the significance of the data gathered. You may include diagnostic impressions, levels of functioning, significant developments, or any evolving therapeutic concerns. This is your clinical synthesis — how you’re making sense of what you saw, heard, and experienced during the session.

Clinician Prompt:

💡 Based on what emerged in the session, what are my clinical impressions regarding the client’s functioning, risk factors, progress, or therapeutic concerns?

Example Statements:

• The client’s presentation remains consistent with moderate major depressive disorder. Functioning continues to be impaired across occupational and social domains.
• Client appears to be processing grief more directly and is demonstrating greater tolerance for emotional discomfort, though defensiveness remains a barrier at times.
• Recent reduction in dissociative symptoms suggests improved self-regulation, though trauma-related intrusions remain active and distressing.
• No current suicidal ideation reported, though the client continues to express hopelessness and passive thoughts of “wanting to disappear,” warranting ongoing monitoring.

P — Plan

The Plan outlines what comes next — including continued treatment focus, clinical goals, behavioral targets, any assigned therapeutic tasks, and the next session date. It’s also the place to explicitly document medical necessity, ensuring the rationale for ongoing treatment is clear.

Clinician Prompt:

💡 What are the next steps in treatment, and how does this plan address the client’s clinical needs and justify continued care?

Example Statements:

• Psychotherapy remains medically necessary due to persistent depressive symptoms impairing sleep, concentration, and interpersonal functioning. Treatment will continue to focus on grief integration and emotional regulation.
• Client was assigned a journaling exercise to identify cognitive distortions related to self-worth. Will review in next session scheduled for July 5 at 1:00 PM.
• Treatment plan includes weekly sessions focused on trauma processing using a narrative approach and grounding techniques. Referrals to group support services were discussed and will be revisited next week.

A Streamlined Format with Clinical Clarity

While the DAP note has fewer sections than some other formats, it demands just as much thought and clinical clarity. When done well, it helps therapists document their work quickly and meaningfully while supporting continuity of care, ethical standards, and administrative needs.

The level of detail, tone, and content may vary depending on your clinical setting, licensing requirements, or documentation policies. When in doubt, refer to your regulatory body’s guidelines and any applicable organizational policies. If you’re billing to insurance or working with third-party payers, ensure that your DAP notes clearly demonstrate medical necessity and document treatment progression.

At Note Designer, we offer a carefully structured DAP note template built specifically for mental health providers. The template includes customizable sections, helpful drop-downs, and a library of professionally written clinical content to guide your documentation — including clear, editable statements that support medical necessity. Whether your approach is trauma-informed, CBT, psychodynamic, or integrative, Note Designer supports over 20 treatment orientations and lets you tailor the template to your workflow. Our optional AI-Rewrite feature can help polish your note after it’s drafted, refining phrasing and structure while preserving your clinical voice. It’s there when you need it, and completely optional.

Note Designer also offers an AI-Auto Note option: simply enter a few key statements or select from our built-in content drop-downs, and the AI will generate a complete progress note based on your specifications—whether SOAP, BIRP, DAP, SIRP, GIRP, or other formats. You can customize note style, pronouns, and level of elaboration to match your clinical voice and workflow.

By Patricia C. Baldwin, Ph.D.

Clinical Psychologist

Co-Founder Note Designer Inc.

Author of

Note Designer: A simple step-by-step guide to writing your psychotherapy progress notes (2^nd Edition – updated and expanded); 2023.

👩🏻‍💻 This blog post is derived from Chapter 6 of Note Designer: A simple step-by-step guide to writing your psychotherapy progress notes (2^nd Edition- updated and expanded); 2023

© 2025 Patricia C. Baldwin. All rights reserved.
This blog post is the intellectual property of Patricia C. Baldwin and may not be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the author. Brief quotations may be used with appropriate citation and link to the original source.