How to write DARP notes

What is a DARP note?

A DARP note is a templated strategy for documenting therapy sessions and other client interactions. Like other note-taking approaches, DARP is an acronym. It includes the following elements:

Data
Assessment
Response
Plan

If you’re using a DARP note template and filling out every section as directed, you should feel good about how your notes stack up to compliance expectations. Each section of a DARP note is designed to help you document the most critical aspects of your session for compliance with insurance billing, including elements of a mental status exam and risk assessments.

How long is a DARP note?

Typically, DARP notes are four paragraphs long, with one paragraph for each component of the format (data, assessment, response, and plan). The specific length can vary depending on complexity of the patient's condition, but therapists aim to be thorough yet succinct.

When do you use the DARP notes template?

DARP notes are a straightforward, efficient way to document client progress, highlighting the client’s data, your assessment, their response, and the planned treatment without unnecessary complexity. DARP notes contain an extra section compared to DAP notes, so they may take a little longer to complete for some providers.

How to write DARP notes

Data

In this section, you should include objective and subjective observations from the therapy session. For example, you can outline anything you talked about during the sessions, your general observations about the client’s mood and overall presentation, and any other details that will help you assess the client’s current state.

While this section can include subjective data, be careful to focus on observable behaviors and avoid speculation or assumptions. For example, rather than saying “The client must have had a bad day because she seems down,” you could say “The client presents with a low mood, evidenced by short responses and lack of eye contact."

Assessment

The assessment section of DARP notes should include your clinical interpretation of the above information. You can use this section to reflect on the client’s progress and highlight areas that may require further intervention.

Avoid personal opinions or emotional responses in this section. For example, rather than saying “I think the client is being too hard on herself,” you could say “The client demonstrates self-critical thoughts, which may contribute to her avoidance of social interactions.”

Response

In this section, include your interventions and how the client reacted and responded. This is a space to outline the response in a particular session as well as the client’s overall progress. It should help you better understand your client’s needs so you can adjust your treatment plan if needed.

Try to be as specific as possible in this section, using descriptive but concise language rather than therapy jargon. For example, instead of writing “I applied CBT-based exposure therapy hierarchy to social phobia manifestations,” you could write, “I introduced a step-by-step approach to help the client gradually face social situations with less anxiety.”

Plan

Lastly, include next steps and follow-up actions based on your current intervention and the client’s response. It may include possible future interventions, client homework, or even referrals to other resources.

In this section, avoid vague statements like “The client will work on being more social.” Instead, be as specific as you can with measurable goals like “The client will initiate a short conversation with a coworker or acquaintance before our next session.”

DARP note example

Sarah, 42-year-old female

D (Data):

Sarah reported feeling anxious in social situations, particularly when meeting new people. She described experiencing physical symptoms such as a racing heart and sweaty palms when trying to initiate conversations. She shared that she avoids social gatherings and often overthinks past interactions, worrying she said something wrong. She expressed a desire to make new friends but feels "stuck" due to her anxiety.

A (Assessment):

Sarah presents with symptoms consistent with social anxiety, including avoidance behaviors, excessive self-criticism, and physiological distress in social settings. She demonstrates insight into her challenges and motivation for change but struggles with fear of judgment. Anxiety appears to be impacting her ability to form new connections, contributing to feelings of loneliness.

R (Response):

Therapist provided psychoeducation on social anxiety and cognitive distortions related to self-judgment. Sarah was guided through a brief grounding exercise to manage physiological symptoms. Therapist validated her concerns and reinforced her strengths, including her awareness and willingness to work on her anxiety. Together, Sarah and the therapist explored small, achievable steps to build social confidence, such as making eye contact or engaging in brief interactions with acquaintances.

P (Plan):

Sarah will practice a mindfulness technique such as deep breathing when experiencing social anxiety.
She will challenge negative thoughts using cognitive restructuring strategies.
Therapist will introduce role-playing exercises in the next session to build confidence in initiating conversations.
Continue weekly sessions to monitor progress and adjust interventions as needed.

Tips for writing DARP notes

The following tips can help ensure your DARP notes are detailed and concise, making them easy to reference:

Stay focused on the session you’re documenting rather than the client’s full history.
Be as specific as possible, avoiding vague language.
Use direct quotes from your client when possible, especially when documenting data and client’s response to interventions.
Clearly distinguish between objective and subjective data.
Do not include confidential information, such as identifying information about third parties discussed in therapy.
Avoid unnecessary details that don’t contribute to the treatment plan.
Include specific, timely, and measurable goals in your plan so you can better track client progress.
Write notes immediately after the session if possible so the details are fresh.

DARP notes vs. DAP notes

DARP notes are similar to DAP (data, assessment, plan) notes because they’re both structured documentation methods often used by therapists. Unlike DAP notes, DARP notes include the client’s response to the therapist’s intervention. DAP notes, for that reason, may take less time for some therapists to complete compared to DARP notes.

DARP notes vs. SOAP notes

DARP notes are similar to SOAP (subjective, objective, assessment, plan) notes in that they’re both structured documentation methods often used by therapists. Unlike SOAP notes, DARP notes include the client’s response to the therapist’s intervention. SOAP notes are also often used in general medical settings, while DARP notes are more specific to mental and behavioral health.

Use Headway’s progress note templates.

While there are many options for documentation, Headway's in-product templates are designed to make note-taking fast and efficient, all while helping to take out the guesswork.

Plus, our templates are included at no additional cost for Headway providers.

Headway’s team and tools are here to make everything about working with insurance companies (including compliance!) as easy as possible.

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