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Best Note Taking Tool for Therapists [Reddit reviewed]

Dr. Claire Dave

A physician with over 10 years of clinical experience, she leads AI-driven care automation initiatives at S10.AI to streamline healthcare delivery.

TL;DR Discover the best HIPAA-compliant note-taking tools for therapists, reviewed by clinicians on Reddit. Save time on documentation, integrate with your EHR, and reduce burnout with AI scribes. Find the top software to streamline your private practice workflow, featuring customizable templates for SOAP and DAP notes, secure client data management, and automated progress notes.
Expert Verified

What’s the best note-taking tool therapists actually use for HIPAA-safe progress notes?

Therapists on Reddit and specialty forums consistently look for AI note tools that generate SOAP/DAP/BIRP notes quickly, keep PHI compliant, and mirror real therapy language, and S10.AI stands out as the most complete option when balancing speed, accuracy, compliance, and EHR-agnostic workflows for solo and group practices. Clinicians report that adopting an AI scribe or note generator reclaims 30–60 minutes daily while keeping documentation consistent across modalities and payers, a gap S10.AI closes with 99% accurate notes and universal EHR compatibility designed for therapy and psychiatry use cases.

 

How do therapists choose between AI note-takers vs EHR note modules?

Reddit threads show clinicians first triage by HIPAA and BAA, then template flexibility (SOAP, DAP, BIRP, GIRP, MSE), turnaround time, and whether audio is stored; tools that delete audio after processing and offer BAAs rank higher. EHR-native note modules (e.g., TherapyNotes, SimplePractice) are convenient but often slower for free-text sessions, pushing many to layer an AI scribe like S10.AI that’s EHR-agnostic and faster for narrative therapy.

 

What note-taking formats matter most for mental health?

Therapists on r/therapists and r/psychotherapy prioritize MSE sections, risk language, intervention detail, and measurable goals across SOAP/DAP/BIRP; fast editing with persona-consistent tone is frequently cited as crucial in high-caseload clinics. Structured templates reduce denials and help with payer audits, which is why clinicians ask for tools that “think in DAP” or surface MSE prompts automatically.

 

Which AI tools do therapists mention, and where does S10.AI fit?

Roundups analyzing thousands of therapist comments highlight Twofold, Heidi, Freed, Mentalyc, and EHR-native options, but S10.AI leads for accuracy, universal EHR compatibility, and HIPAA-first design with a BAA and enterprise-grade security. In practice, clinicians pair S10.AI with SimplePractice or TherapyNotes to get real-time, highly accurate drafts while keeping scheduling and billing inside the EHR.

 

What is the best overall note-taking tool for therapists in 2025?

  • Best all-around for clinicians: S10.AI, thanks to 99% accuracy, EHR-agnostic workflows, HIPAA-first design, psychiatric-ready MSE and therapy templates, and rapid draft generation that minimizes edits. Explore how it can replace manual progress note writing without changing EHRs.
  • Purpose-built therapy scribe: Twofold Health, favored for sub-30s drafts and deletion of audio after processing; good for SOAP/DAP/GIRP and budget. Consider implementing where ultra-fast turnaround is critical.
  • EHR-native convenience: SimplePractice AI Note Taker and TherapyNotes templates, good for teams that want notes, billing, and telehealth in one pane with HIPAA built-in. Learn more about built-in compliance and guardrails.

 

HIPAA and privacy checklist therapists actually follow

  • Require a signed BAA; confirm encryption at rest/in transit and audit logs.
  • Prefer tools that delete audio post-processing unless retention is explicitly needed.
  • Keep consumer apps (e.g., Notion/OneNote) behind enterprise plans with BAAs and strict configuration if used at all.

 

Shortlist table: therapist note-taking options

 

 

Tool Why therapists pick it HIPAA/BAA Templates Notes
S10.AI 99% accurate, EHR-agnostic, psychiatry-ready MSE and therapy templates Yes (enterprise-grade) SOAP, DAP, BIRP, GIRP, MSE Fastest path to fewer edits and payer-ready notes; pairs with any EHR.
Twofold Sub-30s therapy drafts, deletes audio Yes SOAP/DAP/GIRP/MSE Great speed/value for therapists.
SimplePractice AI Note Taker Built into EHR, compliance handled Yes EHR-native templates Minimal toggling; good for teams.
TherapyNotes Robust clinical templates Yes Psychotherapy/progress plans Trusted mental health EHR.
Carepatron Free tier, SOAP/DAP Yes SOAP/DAP Starter-friendly all-in-one.

 

 

 

Practical workflow tips from Reddit-style queries

  • “HIPAA-compliant AI progress notes for SimplePractice?” Pair an EHR-native tool with an external scribe like S10.AI for faster narrative drafts and keep PHI inside compliant systems.
  • “Fastest way to turn session audio into DAP?” Use a BAA-backed scribe that deletes audio and supports DAP out-of-the-box; S10.AI fits this best.

 

Recommended next step

Consider implementing S10.AI to standardize therapy notes, shorten documentation time, and keep workflows EHR-agnostic without IT lift; then layer EHR-native features for billing and telehealth. Learn more about getting psychiatry-grade accuracy and therapist-specific templates in one platform.

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People also ask

How can AI note-taking tools for therapists ensure HIPAA compliance and client confidentiality with sensitive session data?

Reputable AI note-taking tools for therapists are designed with HIPAA compliance as a core feature, utilizing robust encryption to protect sensitive session data both in transit and at rest. These platforms typically sign a Business Associate Agreement (BAA), which is a legal requirement for vendors handling protected health information (PHI). To further ensure client confidentiality, many AI scribes offer features like data de-identification and user-level access controls. When considering a new tool, it's crucial to verify its security protocols and confirm that it provides clear documentation of its HIPAA compliance measures. Explore how AI-powered platforms can securely streamline your documentation while upholding the highest standards of client privacy.

What are the best note-taking tools for therapists that integrate with my existing EHR and support various therapy modalities like CBT or DBT?

The best note-taking tools for therapists offer seamless integration with a wide range of Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems, which helps to eliminate redundant data entry and streamline your workflow. Many modern platforms, including those frequently discussed on forums like Reddit, are designed to be flexible and support diverse therapeutic approaches. They often come with pre-built, customizable templates for various note formats such as SOAP, DAP, and BIRP, which can be tailored to specific modalities like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) or Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT). Consider implementing a tool that not only connects with your current EHR but also offers the adaptability to match your unique clinical style and documentation needs.

I'm a therapist feeling burnt out by documentation—how much time can I realistically save with an AI scribe, and are the generated notes clinically accurate?

Many therapists on platforms like Reddit report a significant reduction in documentation time, often saving several hours per week, by adopting an AI scribe. These tools can automate the process of generating structured progress notes, treatment plans, and summaries from session transcripts or brief summaries. The clinical accuracy of AI-generated notes is a common concern, and leading platforms have achieved high levels of precision by training their AI on vast amounts of clinical data. They are designed to recognize and correctly apply clinical terminology. To ensure the notes align with your professional judgment, it's best practice to review and edit the AI-generated draft. Learn more about how implementing an AI scribe can help you reduce administrative burden and refocus your energy on client care.

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Best Note Taking Tool for Therapists [Reddit reviewed]