What SOAP stands for

SOAP originated in medicine and has been adapted widely by psychologists, counsellors, psychotherapists and coaches. It splits each note into four parts, moving from what you heard, to what you saw, to what you think, to what happens next:

S — Subjective

What the client tells you: their own account of how they have been, what is on their mind, and what they want from today’s session. Brief quotes are welcome where the wording matters.

O — Objective

What you observe: appearance, affect, engagement, behaviour in the session, and any measures or questionnaires you used. Facts, not interpretations.

A — Assessment

Your professional view: how today fits the treatment goals, progress or setbacks, themes you notice, and any risk considerations.

P — Plan

What happens next: interventions for coming sessions, agreed homework, referrals, and the date of the next appointment.

The value of SOAP lies in the separation between S and O on one side and A on the other. Keeping what was said and seen apart from what you conclude makes your reasoning visible — to yourself next week, to a supervisor, or to a colleague who takes over.

How to write each section

Subjective

Summarise the client’s perspective in a few sentences. Focus on what is relevant to the treatment goals: changes since the last session, significant events, and how the client describes their mood or difficulties. Avoid transcribing the session. Third-party details — names of partners, colleagues or family members — rarely belong in a note; “the client’s manager” is usually enough.

Objective

Write what another professional in the room would also have noticed. “Client arrived on time, spoke quietly, made limited eye contact in the first half” is objective. “Client was defensive” is an interpretation and belongs in the Assessment, if anywhere. If you used a standardised questionnaire, note the instrument and the score here.

Assessment

This is the section that shows your clinical thinking, and the one most often left thin. Link today’s session to the goals you agreed on. Is the client moving forward, stuck, or under new pressure? Which hypothesis does today support or challenge? If there are risk indicators, record what you assessed and what you concluded — not just that you asked.

Plan

Keep the plan concrete enough that you could act on it after a two-week holiday. Note the next appointment, the focus for the next session, any homework you agreed on, and any action you owe — a letter, a referral, a consultation with a supervisor.

A fictional SOAP note example

The example below is entirely made up. It describes a fictional client, “Client A”, in a fourth session focused on work-related stress and sleep. Use it to see the shape of a note, not as a clinical template.

S: Client A reports a “slightly better week”. Fell asleep within 30 minutes on four of seven nights, compared with one night the week before. Still wakes early before team meetings. Says the breathing exercise “helps when I remember it”. Wants to work on saying no to extra tasks today.

O: Arrived on time, casually dressed, alert. Speech normal in rate and volume. Became visibly tense (shoulders raised, faster speech) when describing a meeting with the manager; relaxed after the role-play. Completed the sleep diary for six of seven days.

A: Modest progress towards goal 1 (sleep onset). Early waking appears linked to anticipatory worry about work meetings, consistent with the pattern identified in session 2. Client engaged well with assertiveness role-play and was able to generate two alternative responses. No risk indicators reported or observed.

P: Continue sleep diary and breathing exercise. Homework: use one practised response when asked to take on an extra task, and note the outcome. Next session in one week: review homework, introduce worry-time technique for pre-meeting evenings.

Notice what is missing: no names of colleagues, no verbatim account of the whole session, and no speculation that is not tied to an observation or a goal. The whole note takes under five minutes to write once you are used to the structure.

Common mistakes in SOAP notes

Mixing interpretation into the Objective section (“client was in denial”).

An Assessment that only repeats the Subjective section instead of adding your clinical view.

A Plan that says “continue therapy” and nothing else.

Writing far more than you need, including sensitive details about third parties.

Writing the note days later, when your memory of the session has already faded.

Language you would not be comfortable with if the client asked to read the note.

That last point is not hypothetical. In Europe, clients generally have a right to access their personal data under GDPR Article 15, which often includes session notes; national law may set specific rules or exceptions. Write every note as if the client might one day read it — respectful, factual and free of jargon that could be misunderstood.

Tips to write SOAP notes faster

Block five to ten minutes after every session for notes. Notes written straight away are shorter and more accurate.
Use a template with the four headings already in place, so you never start from a blank page.
Write the Plan first if you are short of time — it is the part you will need most next week.
Keep a short list of phrases you use often for observations and interventions, and adapt them per client.
Re-read the previous note’s Plan before each session, so your new Subjective and Assessment connect to it.
Tag or pin notes that matter for the long term, such as a risk assessment or a change of treatment goals.

When SOAP is not the best fit

Some therapists find the strict split between Subjective and Objective awkward in talk-based therapy, where much of what you observe is how the client speaks. Formats such as DAP (Data, Assessment, Plan) merge those two parts, while BIRP and GIRP put more emphasis on interventions and goals. None is “correct”; what matters is that you use one consistently. We compare them side by side in SOAP, DAP, BIRP or GIRP: choosing a progress note format.

Keeping your notes secure

Session notes are health data under the GDPR. They do not belong in a generic note app, an unencrypted document on your laptop or a shared cloud folder. Keep them only as long as your national rules and your professional body require — see how long therapists should keep client records in Europe. If you are considering an AI tool to help draft notes, read consent for AI-assisted therapy notes first.

SOAP notes in PRAXINGO

Ready-made note templates for SOAP, DAP, GIRP and BIRP, plus free-form notes.

Pin and tag notes so key assessments are easy to find later.

Pin and tag notes so you can find the right one when a client asks for access.

Client data is end-to-end encrypted with a key derived from your own encryption password, so PRAXINGO cannot read your notes.

See all features, how encryption works on our security page, and the plans on the pricing page.

Frequently asked questions

How long should a SOAP note be?

For a routine session, a few sentences per section is usually enough. Longer notes are justified for intakes, risk assessments and significant changes in treatment.

Are SOAP notes required by law?

No law prescribes SOAP specifically. Many countries and professional bodies do require you to keep adequate records, so check your national rules and your professional body’s code. SOAP is one practical way to meet that duty.

Can coaches use SOAP notes?

Yes. Coaches often adapt the Assessment section to focus on progress towards goals rather than clinical observations, or choose GIRP, which is built around goals.

Should I include direct quotes from the client?

Short quotes are useful when the client’s exact words matter, such as how they describe their mood or a statement relevant to risk. Keep them brief and relevant.

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SOAP notes for therapists: structure, example and tips