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Hello,
I am a student at Regis University completing my maters program in counseling. I am interning at People House. I chose People House because of their reputation and because I am planning on going into private practice after graduating.
Meanwhile, I am trying to get a feel for private practice. Currently, I use SOAP or DAP format for client notes. I am looking for a quicker and more efficient format for client/case notes. Additionally, if there is an affordable software program I could utilize I would be interested in purchasing it.
Brenda
Hi, Brenda! You’re asking a really good question . . . . Finding a way to document your work and your client’s progress in an acceptable format is critical. In the beginning, ALL formats seem cumbersome so I would encourage you to commit to one format for 6-12 months before tossing it out.
The two formats you mentioned, SOAP and DA(R)P notes, are two methods that are widely practiced and accepted. However, they are not the only ones. I know of at least two more . . . .
Check back here at Private Practice from the Inside Out on Friday, September 18th when I’ll start a 5 day series on different standardized formats for note taking.
Thanks for joining the conversation! I hope you’ll drop back in as we build our community here online!