SIRP Notes for ACT: Template + Examples (2026)
Overview
The SIRP Notes format provides an excellent structure for documenting Acceptance and Commitment Therapy because it separates subjective experience from objective observations while emphasizing clinical assessment and planning. When working with clients presenting with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, 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 SIRP Notes note should serve a specific purpose when documenting Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Rather than generic descriptions, each section should contain clinical information that directly relates to the diagnostic criteria, treatment indicators, and progress measures relevant to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. This requires understanding both how the format works and what aspects of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy are most important to capture for insurance justification, treatment planning, and clinical decision-making.
Documentation quality matters significantly when treating Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. Insurance companies need to see clear evidence of medical necessity, meaningful progress on treatment goals, and appropriate use of evidence-based interventions. The SIRP Notes structure, when properly applied to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, communicates this clinical picture clearly and compliantly.
How to Document SIRP Notes for Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
Situation
Describe the presenting situation, precipitating events, current stressors, and context surrounding this session
When documenting the Situation section for ACT, focus on capturing the client’s current experiential and contextual factors that have prompted the session, including relevant emotional states, thoughts, and environmental triggers.
- Describe the client’s presenting concerns and how they relate to psychological flexibility challenges.
- Note any recent events or stressors influencing the client’s behavior or mood.
- Identify specific thoughts, feelings, or bodily sensations reported by the client at the start of the session.
- Document the client’s expressed values or areas of life where they feel stuck or conflicted.
- Record any barriers to acceptance or mindfulness that the client is currently experiencing.
Intervention
Document specific therapeutic interventions, techniques, and clinical actions taken during the session
In the Intervention section for ACT, detail the specific therapeutic techniques, experiential exercises, and mindfulness strategies applied to enhance acceptance, cognitive defusion, and values-based action.
- Specify which mindfulness or defusion exercises were introduced or practiced during the session.
- Describe how metaphors or experiential activities were used to illustrate ACT concepts.
- Note any coaching around values clarification or committed action planning provided.
- Record clinician observations of client engagement and participation in acceptance strategies.
- Detail any behavioral experiments or in-session exposures designed to reduce experiential avoidance.
Response
Record the client's response to interventions, observable changes, and emotional/behavioral reactions
The Response section for ACT should capture the client’s observable and reported reactions to the interventions, including shifts in awareness, emotional processing, and movement toward valued living.
- Document the client’s verbal and nonverbal responses to mindfulness or defusion exercises.
- Note any reported changes in acceptance of difficult thoughts or feelings during the session.
- Evaluate progress toward values-based goals or increased psychological flexibility.
- Record any emerging insights or shifts in perspective articulated by the client.
- Identify any resistance, confusion, or difficulties encountered with ACT techniques.
Plan
Outline next steps, follow-up care, and ongoing treatment strategy based on current situation and response
In the Plan section for ACT, outline the next therapeutic steps, including homework assignments, adjustments to treatment focus, and referrals intended to support ongoing psychological flexibility and values-consistent living.
- Assign specific mindfulness or acceptance exercises for the client to practice between sessions.
- Set measurable, values-driven behavioral goals for the upcoming period.
- Adjust the treatment approach based on client response and identified barriers.
- Recommend referrals to complementary services if needed (e.g., psychiatry, group therapy).
- Schedule the next session with a focus on reviewing homework and deepening ACT skill application.
SOAP Notes for ACT
Alternative format for documenting act
DAP Notes for ACT
Alternative format for documenting act
BIRP Notes for ACT
Alternative format for documenting act
Progress Notes for ACT
Alternative format for documenting act
GIRP Notes for ACT
Alternative format for documenting act
PIE Notes for ACT
Alternative format for documenting act
Tips for SIRP Notes for Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
Connect to Diagnostic Criteria
Always link your observations and interventions back to the specific diagnostic criteria for Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. 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 "Acceptance and Commitment Therapy 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 Acceptance and Commitment Therapy 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 Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, 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 Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.
Demonstrate Treatment Progress
Connect each session to overall treatment goals for Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. 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 Acceptance and Commitment Therapy often have other conditions. Document any comorbid diagnoses and how they interact. For example: "Client's Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is complicated by concurrent depression, which reduces treatment response. Added behavioral activation to address depressive symptoms alongside anxiety-specific exposure work."
Master SIRP Notes Documentation
Let AI handle the structural formatting and organization while you focus on what matters: your clinical work and client care. Mental Note AI generates properly formatted notes in seconds, right in Microsoft Word.
Try for Free in WordReady to Write Better Notes Faster?
Join thousands of mental health professionals who trust Mental Note AI to handle their documentation.
Try for Free in WordNo credit card required. Works directly in Microsoft Word. Starts generating notes in seconds.
Further Reading
- APA Documentation Guidelines — Provides comprehensive guidelines on clinical documentation practices relevant to mental health professionals.
- SAMHSA — Offers resources and best practices for behavioral health documentation and evidence-based therapies like ACT.
- APA Ethics Code — Outlines ethical standards for documentation and confidentiality in psychological practice.