GIRP Notes for Personality Disorders: Template + Examples (2026)
Overview
The GIRP Notes format provides an excellent structure for documenting Personality Disorders because it separates subjective experience from objective observations while emphasizing clinical assessment and planning. When working with clients presenting with Personality Disorders, the key is to document how the specific symptoms, behavioral patterns, and treatment responses are understood through the lens of this particular format.
Each section of the GIRP Notes note should serve a specific purpose when documenting Personality Disorders. Rather than generic descriptions, each section should contain clinical information that directly relates to the diagnostic criteria, treatment indicators, and progress measures relevant to Personality Disorders. This requires understanding both how the format works and what aspects of Personality Disorders are most important to capture for insurance justification, treatment planning, and clinical decision-making.
Documentation quality matters significantly when treating Personality Disorders. Insurance companies need to see clear evidence of medical necessity, meaningful progress on treatment goals, and appropriate use of evidence-based interventions. The GIRP Notes structure, when properly applied to Personality Disorders, communicates this clinical picture clearly and compliantly.
How to Document GIRP Notes for Personality Disorders
Goals
Document current treatment goals, client's goals for this session, and progress toward established objectives
When documenting goals for personality disorders, specify targeted behavioral, emotional, and interpersonal objectives tailored to the patient's unique patterns. Focus on measurable changes that address core personality traits and maladaptive coping mechanisms.
- Identify specific maladaptive personality traits to be addressed (e.g., impulsivity, emotional dysregulation).
- Set measurable interpersonal functioning goals, such as improving communication or reducing conflict.
- Define emotional regulation targets, including managing anger or anxiety episodes.
- Establish goals for increasing insight into personality patterns and their impact.
- Include objectives aimed at enhancing adaptive coping skills and stress tolerance.
Intervention
Record specific interventions applied to address identified goals and advance treatment
Document the therapeutic techniques and clinical observations used to address the enduring patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors characteristic of personality disorders. Note modalities applied and patient engagement during the session.
- Record use of specific therapeutic approaches such as Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) or Schema Therapy.
- Note clinician observations of patient’s interpersonal style and emotional responses during the session.
- Describe interventions targeting cognitive distortions related to self and others.
- Document use of behavioral experiments or role-playing to challenge maladaptive patterns.
- Include strategies employed to enhance emotional regulation and distress tolerance.
Response
Note the client's response to goal-focused work, progress indicators, and barriers to goal achievement
Capture the patient's clinical response to interventions, including changes in symptom presentation, insight, and interpersonal dynamics. Evaluate progress toward goals and note any diagnostic reconsiderations if applicable.
- Assess patient’s ability to reflect on maladaptive patterns and demonstrate insight.
- Document observed changes in emotional regulation and impulse control during the session.
- Note shifts in interpersonal behavior or communication effectiveness with the clinician.
- Evaluate patient’s engagement and willingness to participate in therapeutic tasks.
- Record any emerging diagnostic clarifications or considerations based on session content.
Plan
Specify action steps, revised goals if needed, and timeline for goal achievement
Outline the next steps in treatment, including modifications tailored to personality disorder symptoms, homework assignments, referrals, and scheduling to maintain therapeutic momentum and address evolving clinical needs.
- Specify homework assignments aimed at practicing coping skills or behavioral changes.
- Plan adjustments to therapeutic modalities based on patient response and progress.
- Schedule follow-up sessions with emphasis on consistency and structure.
- Recommend referrals for adjunctive services such as group therapy or psychiatric evaluation.
- Outline crisis management strategies and safety planning if risk factors are present.
SOAP Notes for Personality Disorders
Alternative format for documenting personality disorders
DAP Notes for Personality Disorders
Alternative format for documenting personality disorders
BIRP Notes for Personality Disorders
Alternative format for documenting personality disorders
Progress Notes for Personality Disorders
Alternative format for documenting personality disorders
SIRP Notes for Personality Disorders
Alternative format for documenting personality disorders
PIE Notes for Personality Disorders
Alternative format for documenting personality disorders
Tips for GIRP Notes for Personality Disorders
Connect to Diagnostic Criteria
Always link your observations and interventions back to the specific diagnostic criteria for Personality Disorders. If you're documenting generalized anxiety disorder, reference the specific DSM-5 criteria. If you're documenting major depressive disorder, show evidence of the required number of depressive symptoms. This demonstrates clear clinical reasoning and justifies continued treatment.
Use Quantifiable Measurements
Don't simply write "Personality Disorders improving." Instead, use rating scales (0-10 severity scales, PHQ-9 scores, GAD-7 scores, etc.) to show concrete progress. Document specific behavioral changes: "Client reported anxiety decreased from 8/10 to 6/10 when discussing social situations," or "Depressive symptoms reduced by 3 points on PHQ-9."
Document Functional Impact
Show how Personality Disorders affects the client's daily functioning. Insurance requires evidence of functional impairment to justify treatment. Document specific impacts: "Unable to attend work meetings due to anxiety," or "Staying in bed until 2 PM due to depressed mood." Then show how treatment addresses these functional limitations.
Track Intervention Specificity
Rather than vague interventions, be specific about what you did and why. For Personality Disorders, document: "Taught progressive muscle relaxation for anxiety management," or "Assigned behavioral activation with goal to schedule one pleasant activity daily." Show how each intervention targets the specific symptoms of Personality Disorders.
Demonstrate Treatment Progress
Connect each session to overall treatment goals for Personality Disorders. Show how this session moved the client forward. Document barriers encountered and your response: "Client engaged in avoidance despite exposure assignment. Explored ambivalence about facing feared situations. Adjusted timeline."
Note Comorbidities
Clients with Personality Disorders often have other conditions. Document any comorbid diagnoses and how they interact. For example: "Client's Personality Disorders is complicated by concurrent depression, which reduces treatment response. Added behavioral activation to address depressive symptoms alongside anxiety-specific exposure work."
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Further Reading
- DSM-5-TR — Provides standardized diagnostic criteria essential for accurately identifying and documenting Personality Disorders.
- APA Documentation Guidelines — Offers best practices for clinical documentation, including formats like GIRP notes, tailored for mental health professionals.
- SAMHSA — Contains resources and guidelines for behavioral health documentation and treatment planning relevant to Personality Disorders.