BIRP Note Generator
for Therapists
Enter your session observations. Get a complete, HIPAA-compliant BIRP progress note in under 5 seconds. Designed for community mental health and managed care settings.
The format
What is a BIRP note?
BIRP is a four-section format that documents not just what happened in the session, but specifically what the therapist did — and how the client responded. Common in managed care, community mental health, and crisis settings.
Behavior
The client's presenting concerns, mood, affect, and observable functioning at the start of the session — including what they reported and what you observed. Focuses on measurable behaviours.
Intervention
What the therapist did — the specific techniques, skills, or therapeutic modalities used during the session (e.g., CBT cognitive restructuring, EMDR, motivational interviewing, grounding).
Response
How the client responded to the intervention — their engagement, any shifts in affect or thinking, skills demonstrated, and progress toward treatment goals.
Plan
Next steps — homework assigned, referrals made, frequency of sessions, and what will be addressed in the next appointment.
When to use BIRP vs SOAP or DAP
BIRP is the strongest choice when your setting requires explicit documentation of specific interventions and client responses — common in managed care billing, community mental health, and supervision contexts. If your practice uses SOAP or DAP instead, Notelyx supports those too — use whichever your license or employer requires.
Example output
A real BIRP note — generated in seconds
Behavior
T.K. presented as guarded at the start of the session, reporting increased nightmares and hypervigilance over the past week following a triggering news event. Client described difficulty leaving the house on two days. Affect was restricted and eye contact was limited. Denied active suicidal ideation.
Intervention
Clinician provided psychoeducation on trauma responses and the window of tolerance. Grounding exercise (feet-on-floor, diaphragmatic breathing) was introduced and practised in session. Collaborative safety planning was reviewed and updated.
Response
Client engaged with the grounding exercise with moderate effort and reported feeling "a little calmer" by the end of the exercise. Client was able to identify two grounding strategies to use between sessions. Affect shifted slightly — client made increased eye contact by end of session.
Plan
Client will practise the grounding exercise daily and before sleep. Safety plan reviewed — client confirmed access to crisis line number. Continue weekly trauma-informed therapy. Review window of tolerance concept at next session.
Generated from 7 bullet points · Under 5 seconds · Fictional client data
How it works
From session to signed BIRP note
Enter your observations
Write 4–8 bullet points — what the client presented with, what you did, how they responded. Short phrases work fine.
Notelyx generates the BIRP note
The AI structures your observations into Behavior, Intervention, Response, and Plan — using only what you entered. No hallucinations.
Review, sign, and export
Edit any section, sign to lock the note, and export a clean PDF for your EHR, supervisor, or client file.
FAQ
BIRP note questions
What is a BIRP note in therapy?
A BIRP note is a four-section progress note format. B = Behavior (presenting concerns and functioning), I = Intervention (what the therapist did), R = Response (how the client responded), P = Plan (next steps). It is commonly used in managed care and community mental health settings.
When are BIRP notes used?
BIRP notes are commonly required in community mental health centres, crisis services, correctional facilities, and substance use programmes — anywhere that managed care or Medicaid requires explicit documentation of specific, observable interventions and client responses.
What goes in the Behavior section of a BIRP note?
The Behavior section describes the client's presenting concerns, mood, affect, and observable functioning at the start of the session — including both what they reported and what you observed. It focuses on measurable behaviours rather than subjective interpretation.
What goes in the Intervention section of a BIRP note?
The Intervention section describes what the therapist did — the specific techniques, skills, or modalities used (e.g., cognitive restructuring, grounding, motivational interviewing). It documents your clinical activity, not the client's.
What is the difference between BIRP and SOAP notes?
BIRP explicitly separates the therapist's Intervention from the client's Response — making the therapist's role in the session more visible in the documentation. SOAP combines assessment and response into an Assessment section. BIRP is preferred in settings requiring detailed documentation of evidence-based interventions for billing or supervision.
Start generating BIRP notes today.
Free during beta. No credit card. SOAP and DAP also supported.