When I started in private practice, I took session notes by hand in a notebook and then re-entered them into my EHR later. It was redundant and slow. I eventually switched to printed templates I could complete directly during or right after a session — which eliminated the double-entry and made my notes more consistent.
The templates below use checkboxes and brief fill-in sections rather than open-ended narrative fields. They're structured so that condensed session notes can be expanded into more detailed documentation if you ever need to submit records for insurance or legal purposes.
Two versions
Full-page version — contains the detailed sections I found valuable over years of clinical practice. Slightly more information than strictly necessary for most sessions, but good when you want a thorough record.
Compact version (2020) — two sessions per page, with the less-frequently-used sections removed. Good for practitioners who want minimal documentation overhead without sacrificing the essentials.
Both are Word documents so you can modify them to match your practice style.
A note on EHR integration
If you're using an EHR system that already has progress note templates built in, these printed versions are most useful as a backup or for practitioners who prefer paper-first documentation. SimplePractice, TherapyNotes, and most modern EHRs have their own note templates — use those if they work for you.
The main reason to use a printed template is speed and focus during the session itself. Some clinicians find that typing into software mid-session is distracting; paper stays out of the way.