Group Therapy Note Template

What is a Group Therapy Note?

A group therapy note documents what occurred during a group therapy session, including the session topic, group dynamics, individual member participation, therapeutic interventions, and each member's progress toward treatment goals. Group notes are more complex than individual session notes because the clinician must capture the interplay between multiple clients while maintaining separate clinical records for each participant.

There are two common approaches to group documentation: a single group process note that covers the session as a whole, supplemented by brief individual progress notes for each member; or comprehensive individual notes for each member that incorporate group context. Many agencies and insurance companies require individual documentation for each group participant, since each member has their own treatment plan and the note must demonstrate medical necessity for that specific client.

This template provides both the group-level overview and the individual member documentation framework.

Complete Group Therapy Note Template

Group Session Information

• Group name/type: (e.g., "CBT Skills for Anxiety," "Process Group," "DBT Skills Training," "Grief and Loss Support Group")
• Date of session:
• Session number: (in current series)
• Duration: (e.g., "90 minutes")
• Location: (e.g., "Group therapy room, in-person" or "Telehealth via HIPAA-compliant video platform")
• Facilitator(s): (name and credentials)
• Co-facilitator: (name and credentials, if applicable)
• CPT code: 90853

Attendance

• Total members enrolled:
• Members present: (list initials or first names — full names go in individual notes)
• Members absent: (note excused vs. unexcused, outreach planned)
• New members: (note any members attending for the first time)
• Visitors/Observers: (trainees, supervisors — with member consent documented)

Session Structure and Content

Session Topic/Theme

• (e.g., "Cognitive distortions: identifying and challenging automatic negative thoughts")
• Rationale for topic selection (e.g., "Continued from last session's introduction to the cognitive model; multiple members identified difficulty recognizing distorted thinking patterns")

Session Agenda

1. (e.g., "Check-in: each member shared current mood and one event from the week (15 minutes)")
2. (e.g., "Psychoeducation: facilitator presented the ten common cognitive distortions with examples (20 minutes)")
3. (e.g., "Group activity: members identified personal examples of distortions using a worksheet (20 minutes)")
4. (e.g., "Group discussion: members shared examples and practiced challenging distortions with group feedback (25 minutes)")
5. (e.g., "Wrap-up: homework assignment and brief check-out (10 minutes)")

Interventions Used

• (e.g., "Psychoeducation on cognitive distortions")
• (e.g., "Socratic questioning to help members evaluate evidence for and against automatic thoughts")
• (e.g., "Peer feedback facilitation — guided members in offering constructive responses to one another")
• (e.g., "Role-play exercise demonstrating assertive communication")
• (e.g., "Mindfulness grounding exercise at session opening")

Materials/Handouts Provided

• (e.g., "Cognitive Distortions Reference Sheet," "Thought Record Worksheet")

Group Dynamics and Process

Document the interpersonal dynamics observed during the session.

• Group cohesion: (e.g., "Group cohesion has strengthened over the past three sessions. Members offered supportive feedback spontaneously and referenced each other's previous contributions.")
• Group climate: (e.g., "Overall group climate was supportive and engaged. Energy level was higher than previous sessions.")
• Significant interactions: (e.g., "Member A confronted Member B about consistently arriving late, which led to a productive discussion about respect and boundaries. Facilitator guided the interaction using process commentary.")
• Conflicts or tensions: (e.g., "Mild tension observed between Member C and Member D regarding differing views on medication. Facilitator normalized differing perspectives and redirected to shared experiences.")
• Subgroups or alliances: (e.g., "Members A and C have formed a supportive alliance, frequently validating each other's experiences")
• Resistance or avoidance: (e.g., "Member E appeared disengaged during the psychoeducation segment, looking at phone. Re-engaged during the experiential exercise.")
• Themes that emerged: (e.g., "A common theme of perfectionism emerged, with four of six members identifying 'should' statements as their most frequent cognitive distortion")

Individual Member Progress Notes

Complete one for each group member. This is the documentation that goes into each client's individual chart.

Member: [Name]

• Attendance: Present / Absent (excused/unexcused)
• Participation level: Active / Moderate / Minimal / Resistant
• Mood/Affect: (e.g., "Reported mood as 'okay.' Affect was subdued initially, brightening during group discussion.")
• Content shared: (e.g., "Shared an example of catastrophizing related to an upcoming job interview. Identified the pattern of predicting worst-case outcomes.")
• Response to interventions: (e.g., "Engaged well with the thought record exercise. Was able to generate two balanced alternative thoughts with group support. Expressed surprise at how 'obvious' the distortion seemed once written down.")
• Interactions with group: (e.g., "Offered supportive feedback to Member C. Received constructive challenge from Member D about avoidance patterns and responded non-defensively.")
• Progress toward treatment goals:
  • Goal 1: (e.g., "Identify cognitive distortions — Moderate progress. Client identified three distortions in session and linked them to anxiety symptoms.")
  • Goal 2: (e.g., "Increase social engagement — Minimal progress. Client acknowledged avoidance but did not commit to a specific behavioral step.")
• Risk assessment: (e.g., "Denies SI/HI. No acute safety concerns.")
• Plan: (e.g., "Complete one thought record before next session. Continue weekly group attendance. Will follow up on referral to individual therapist.")

(Repeat for each group member)

Facilitator Observations and Plan

• Facilitator's assessment of session effectiveness: (e.g., "Session goals were met. Members demonstrated understanding of cognitive distortions and were able to apply the concept to personal examples.")
• Adjustments needed for next session: (e.g., "Will spend more time on behavioral experiments next session, as members appear ready to move beyond identification to active challenging of distortions.")
• Next session topic: (e.g., "Behavioral experiments: testing distorted predictions")
• Follow-up actions: (e.g., "Contact Member F regarding two consecutive absences. Discuss Member A's readiness for group termination in supervision.")
• Consultation or supervision needs: (e.g., "Will discuss management of Member B's increasing dominance in group discussion with supervisor")

Facilitator Signature

• Facilitator name and credentials:
• Co-facilitator name and credentials (if applicable):
• Date note completed:
• Signatures:

When to Use This Template

• Structured psychoeducational groups (CBT skills, DBT skills training, anger management)
• Process-oriented therapy groups (interpersonal, psychodynamic)
• Support groups led by licensed clinicians (grief, divorce, chronic illness)
• Substance use treatment groups (relapse prevention, recovery skills)
• Intensive outpatient programs (IOP) and partial hospitalization programs (PHP)

Tips for Writing Effective Group Therapy Notes

1. Maintain individual confidentiality across charts. When documenting Member A's note, reference other members by role or initial only — never by full name. Write "Another member provided feedback that challenged the client's avoidance pattern" rather than naming the other person.

2. Document each member's individual medical necessity. Insurance companies reimburse group therapy based on each individual client's need. The individual note must demonstrate why this specific client needs group treatment and how the session addressed their specific treatment goals.

3. Capture group dynamics, not just content. A note that reads "Discussed cognitive distortions" misses the therapeutic action. What happened between members? Who challenged whom? Who offered support? Who withdrew? The process is often more therapeutically significant than the content.

4. Note absences and follow-up plans. Irregular attendance disrupts group cohesion and signals potential problems. Document who was absent, whether it was excused, and your plan for outreach.

5. Write notes promptly. Group sessions involve tracking multiple clients simultaneously. If you wait too long, you will lose the details that distinguish one member's participation from another's. Jotting brief notes during the session or immediately after checkout can help.

6. Use a consistent template. Group documentation is repetitive by nature — you are writing similar notes for multiple clients each session. A consistent template reduces the cognitive load and ensures nothing is missed.

Documenting group therapy sessions for multiple clients is one of the most time-consuming tasks in clinical practice. NotuDocs can help by capturing session content and generating individual member notes from a single group recording, saving you from writing the same session context six or eight times over.