Clinical Template

Group Therapy Note Template and Examples

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Reviewed by the WellNotes Clinical Team

Type or dictate your session observations. Get a complete group therapy note, covering group process, individual contributions, and interventions, in minutes instead of an hour.

What is a Group Therapy Note template?

A group therapy note template documents the group process (topic, attendance and themes), each member's individual participation, the interventions used, the group's response and the plan. Most settings need a separate note for each member, so refer to other members by initials or role and keep the individual section specific to the client whose record it is.

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What are Group Therapy Notes?

Group therapy documentation presents unique challenges compared to individual session notes. Clinicians must capture the group process, track individual contributions and progress, document therapeutic interventions, and note how the group responded as a whole, all while managing the complexity of multiple clients in a single session.

Effective group therapy notes balance detail with efficiency. They document the group's therapeutic themes and dynamics while also tracking each member's participation, progress toward individual goals, and response to the group experience. Insurance companies and licensing boards expect documentation that demonstrates medical necessity for each group member.

WellNotes simplifies group therapy documentation with a structured template that covers group process, individual member contributions, interventions used, group response, and the plan moving forward. Generate comprehensive group notes in minutes instead of spending an hour per session on documentation.

Group Therapy Note Template Structure

Use these 5 headings, in this order, for every group therapy note. Each card explains what belongs in the section.

Group Process

Overview of the session's therapeutic themes, group dynamics, cohesion level, and the stage of group development observed during the session.

Individual Contributions

The participation, disclosures, behavioral observations, and progress toward individual treatment goals of the client whose record this note belongs to. Refer to other members by role or initials only.

Interventions

Specific therapeutic techniques and facilitation strategies used during the session: group exercises, psychoeducation, process observations, and skills training.

Group Response

How the group collectively responded to interventions: changes in cohesion, emotional tone, engagement level, and interpersonal interactions observed.

Plan

Next session focus, homework for group members, any individual follow-up needed, and modifications to the group treatment approach.

Group Therapy Note Examples

3 filled examples for different sessions, written in the template above.

All examples are fictional and de-identified. They show structure and level of detail, not clinical advice for a real client.

Group Therapy Note Example 1: CBT anxiety group (session 8 of 12)

Closed outpatient anxiety management group, 6 members present.

Group Process
Session 8 of 12-week CBT-based anxiety management group (6 members present, 1 absent). Group demonstrated increased cohesion compared to early sessions: members initiated peer support without facilitator prompting. Primary themes: workplace stress, perfectionism, and avoidance behaviors. Group is in the working stage with productive interpersonal exchanges and willingness to challenge each other constructively.
Individual Contributions
Client attended the full 90-minute session. Shared using thought challenging before a work presentation this week and rated anxiety 8/10 beforehand and 5/10 afterward. During the paired exercise, identified the belief "if I make one mistake, everyone will think I am incompetent" and generated two alternative thoughts with a peer. Offered supportive feedback to another member. Denied SI/HI at check-in. Progress toward individual goal of reducing avoidance of speaking up in meetings is steady.
Interventions
1. Check-in round using subjective anxiety ratings (0-10 scale). 2. Psychoeducation on perfectionism and its relationship to anxiety. 3. Group cognitive restructuring exercise: members worked in pairs to challenge perfectionistic thoughts. 4. Behavioral experiment planning: each member designed one experiment to test a perfectionistic belief. 5. Process observation: highlighted group's tendency to reassure rather than challenge, encouraged constructive feedback.
Group Response
Group engaged actively with the perfectionism content and gave each other more constructive feedback than in Session 4. Client participated in every exercise and accepted peer feedback without becoming defensive. Client committed to a behavioral experiment, as did the other members.
Plan
1. Client to complete one behavioral experiment this week: share a draft with a coworker before it feels finished, and record predicted versus actual outcome. 2. Continue the thought diary. 3. Next session: review experiment outcomes and begin an exposure hierarchy. 4. Group termination discussions begin at Session 10; review client's relapse prevention plan in the individual check-in.

Group Therapy Note Example 2: DBT skills group (individual member note)

Note for one member of a weekly adult DBT skills group, distress tolerance module.

Group Process
Weekly DBT skills group, 90 minutes, 7 of 8 members present. Topic: distress tolerance, TIPP skills. Group reviewed homework, then practiced paced breathing and cold water as a demonstration.
Individual Contributions
Client completed the diary card and shared using paced breathing during an argument with a roommate, rating urge to self-harm 6/10 before and 3/10 after. Asked a question about using TIPP at work. Offered encouragement to a peer.
Interventions
1. Homework review with diary cards. 2. Didactic teaching on TIPP. 3. In-group practice of paced breathing. 4. Assigned skill practice.
Group Response
Members engaged actively in practice; several reported reduced physical tension. Client participated fully and demonstrated paced breathing correctly.
Plan
Client to practice TIPP when distress is above 7/10 and record use on the diary card. Individual therapist will review diary card per program protocol. Next group: self-soothing skills.

Group Therapy Note Example 3: Substance use process group

Note for one member of an outpatient substance use process group.

Group Process
Outpatient process group, 60 minutes, 9 members. Theme: dealing with family members who do not trust recovery yet. Group cohesion high; two newer members spoke for the first time.
Individual Contributions
Client shared frustration that his sister still checks on him daily. With feedback from peers, recognized that trust may take time and described one way he can show consistency. Reported 45 days without alcohol use.
Interventions
1. Facilitated a check-in round. 2. Used linking to connect members with similar experiences. 3. Reframed family checking as a common early recovery experience. 4. Invited members to name one action toward rebuilding trust.
Group Response
Members responded supportively and several identified similar experiences. Discussion stayed focused on the theme.
Plan
Client to have one honest conversation with his sister this week about what helps. Continue weekly group and individual counseling per treatment plan.

How to Write a Group Therapy Note

  1. Group process. Record the group type, length, attendance count, topic and main themes, the same for every member's note.
  2. Individual contributions. Describe this client's participation, statements, skill use and progress. This section makes each note unique.
  3. Interventions. List the facilitator's interventions for the group and any directed at this client.
  4. Group response and plan. Summarize the group's response, then the client's individual plan and next group focus.

Common Group Therapy Note Mistakes

  • Copying identical notes for every member, with no individual content.
  • Naming other group members in a client's record.
  • Omitting group length and attendance, which payers often check.

How It Works

Three steps to a finished group therapy note

01

Describe the Session

Type or dictate what happened: group themes, individual contributions, interventions used, group response. No special formatting needed.

02

WellNotes Structures Your Note

Your observations are organized into proper sections: group process, individual contributions, interventions, group response, and plan.

03

Review, Edit, and Sign

Read through the note, make any edits, then export as PDF or copy to your EHR. Done.

Documentation Before & After WellNotes

Before WellNotes

You just ran a 90-minute group with 8 members. Now you need to document what each person contributed, the group dynamics, your interventions, and the plan. It is often the most time-consuming note of the week.

After WellNotes

Group ends. You dictate your observations. A complete group note appears: process documented, individual contributions captured, plan outlined, ready to sign.

From 45+ minutes to under 10

Who Uses Group Therapy Notes?

Group TherapistsCounselorsSocial WorkersPsychologistsBCBAs

Group Therapy Note FAQ

What is an example of a group therapy note?

A short example for one member: Group process, 90-minute DBT skills group on distress tolerance, 7 of 8 present; Individual contribution, client used paced breathing during a conflict and urge ratings dropped from 6 to 3; Interventions, homework review and TIPP practice; Plan, practice TIPP and record it on the diary card.

How do you write group therapy notes?

Group therapy notes should document the group process (themes, dynamics, cohesion), individual member contributions and progress, interventions used by the facilitator, the group's collective response, and the plan for the next session. Each member's participation should be noted to support individual treatment goals and insurance requirements.

Do I need individual notes for each group member?

Requirements vary by setting and payer. Some insurance companies require individual progress entries for each member, while others accept a group note with individual member observations. WellNotes captures both group-level and individual-level documentation in a single structured note that meets most requirements.

How do I document group dynamics?

Document the stage of group development (forming, storming, norming, performing), cohesion level, therapeutic themes, interaction patterns, subgroup dynamics, and any critical incidents. Note how group dynamics relate to individual treatment goals and how the facilitator addressed process issues.

Can I bill insurance for group therapy?

Yes. Group psychotherapy is commonly billed with CPT 90853, though coverage and rules vary by payer. Payers generally expect documentation of medical necessity for each member's participation. WellNotes generates notes that capture individual progress within the group context.

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