Session Note Template:
Summarises an individual supervision session, where an experienced clinician (supervisor) is providing guidance and support to a less experienced clinician (supervisee), in the context of psychology or mental health care practice.
For peer supervision between two or more colleagues, use the “Peer Supervision” template.
Template Structure
Example Output
Template Structure
Case discussions
For each case discussed, include details under these subheadings:
- Clinical cases: Details of client cases including presenting problems, age, background, life circumstances, treatment duration, diagnosis, treatment plan, and interventions.
- Supervisor input: Detailed account of input provided by the supervisor including reflections, challenges, learning points, suggestions, strategies, or alternative perspectives.
- Formulation: Case formulations from psychological and theoretical perspectives, including theoretical frameworks used.
- Therapeutic approaches: Review of therapeutic models application (CBT, DBT, ACT, Schema Therapy, etc.)
- Skill development: Areas for supervisee’s growth in clinical techniques and supervisor’s input.
- Session review: Reflection on specific therapy sessions, including client progress and challenges.
- Learning goals: Professional goals related to specific disorders, therapies, or populations.
- Feedback: Constructive feedback provided by supervisor on clinical skills, communication, and documentation.
- Reflection on growth: Evaluation of supervisee’s development, identifying strengths and areas for improvement.
- Progress achieved by supervisee towards professional or personal goals/objectives.
- Setbacks and obstacles to progress for each goal/objective.
- Impact of personal life: How personal issues may influence clinical work.
- Emotional reactions: Countertransference, emotional responses to clients, and management approaches.
- Self-care strategies: Supervisee’s self-care practices to avoid burnout.
- Risk management: Legal concerns including duty of care, mandatory reporting, and risk management.
- Documentation: Clinical documentation practices and record-keeping standards.
- Ethical considerations: Ethical dilemmas related to confidentiality, boundaries, dual relationships, etc.
- Therapeutic boundaries: Boundary management in therapy with challenging clients or unique circumstances.
- Professional roles: Relationships with colleagues, inter-professional dynamics, and service-based stresses.
- Supervisee’s experiences: Self-reflection and awareness of personal biases, values, or experiences.
- Process of supervision: Feedback comfort, relationship with supervisor, and supervision benefits.
- Next session: Date, time, and plans for next supervision session.
- Assigned homework: Tasks or activities assigned to the supervisee.
Example Output
Case discussions
Case 1: JR (42, Male)
- 42-year-old male presenting with treatment-resistant depression, grief (father died 3 months ago), and alcohol use (3-4 standard drinks daily)
- Six sessions completed since March 2025; PHQ-9 decreased from 21 to 18
- Working in high-pressure finance role with significant workplace stress
- Treatment plan includes behavioural activation, grief processing, and alcohol reduction strategies
- Current medication: Venlafaxine 225mg
- Suggested prioritising grief process before workplace issues
- Recommended “continuing bonds” approach and closer alcohol monitoring
- Advised collaborative work with GP and psychiatrist regarding medication
- Highlighted need for clearer formulation linking bereavement to current functioning
- CBT framework: maintenance cycles between low mood, reduced activity, and negative cognitions
- Attachment perspective on prolonged grief due to complicated father relationship
- Avoidance patterns (work focus, alcohol use) preventing emotional processing
- Perfectionism potentially serving as defence against vulnerability
- 16-year-old female with anxiety, panic attacks in social situations, and school avoidance (40% attendance)
- Four sessions completed since April 2025 with limited engagement
- Recently migrated from Singapore (10 months ago); significant academic pressure
- Treatment focusing on graduated exposure and family work
- Suggested incorporating family sessions to address cultural expectations
- Recommended school collaboration and activity-based interventions for engagement
- Questioned whether individual therapy alone is sufficient given systems issues
- Highlighted importance of validating cultural transition difficulties
- Discussed integrating ACT principles with CBT for JR’s experiential avoidance
- Reviewed DBT distress tolerance skills for AC’s panic management
- Role-played responses to client resistance and avoidance
- Discussed balancing validation with change-oriented interventions
- Supervisor demonstrated grounding techniques for panic management
- Reviewed video of fourth session with AC
- Identified tendency to become directive when feeling stuck
- Discussed alternatives to “advice-giving” moments
- ACT metaphors document for grief and avoidance work
- Recommended chapters from “Working with Challenging Clients” (Williams & Taylor, 2023)
- Research article on treating co-occurring depression and alcohol misuse
- Building motivational interviewing skills
- Improving cultural competence with diverse clients
- Strengths in rapport building and case conceptualisation
- Tendency to problem-solve before completing assessment
- Need for more structured session planning
- Growing confidence with cognitive therapy techniques
- Development in theoretical integration and formulation
- Improved clinical writing and report preparation
- Progress: improved clinical documentation and comfort with therapeutic silences
- Setbacks: ongoing challenges with adolescent client engagement
- Obstacles: balancing structure with flexibility in sessions
- Recent family illness creating additional stress
- Personal perfectionism affecting clinical confidence
- Anxiety working with AC due to cultural differences
- Feelings of inadequacy when clients don’t show immediate improvement
- Regular supervision and peer support
- Maintaining work boundaries (no client emails after 7pm)
- Discussed mandatory reporting for school avoidance
- Clarified documentation requirements for safety planning
- Confidentiality limitations when working with adolescents
- Managing out-of-session contact from JR (frequent emails)
- Balancing professional boundaries with rapport building
- Challenges in multidisciplinary team communication
- Impact of cultural factors on AC’s presentation and engagement
- Cultural aspects of grief expression in JR’s rural background
- Growing awareness of tendency to problem-solve prematurely
- Insight into how personal perfectionism affects therapeutic approach
- Appreciation for balance of support and challenge
- Preference for more role-play in future sessions
- Next session: 29 May 2025
- Assigned homework:
- Review ACT resources and identify metaphors for grief work
- Read article on culturally-sensitive work with Asian adolescents
- Template Type
- Session Note
- Note Dictation
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