Group Session Note (Art Therapy)

Date of Service: [date]

Session Time: [start time – end time]

Setting: [inpatient / outpatient / IOP / PHP / school-based / community / telehealth]

Group Name/Type: [group name or type]

Facilitator(s): [name, credentials, role] (List each facilitator.)

Patient Attendance: [present / late / left early / absent] (Include arrival or departure times if applicable.)

Participants Present: [number only]

Group Context

[Session purpose, theme/directive, materials, and linkage to this patient's treatment goals] (2–4 sentences. State the therapeutic aim, the art-making directive or theme, materials provided, and how the session targets this patient's identified goals.)

Patient Participation & Response

[Narrative of the individual patient's session experience] (Single concise paragraph. Include: level of engagement and interaction style with behavioral specifics; observed affect, mood, and regulation; approach to art materials and brief concrete description of artwork created—media, colors, forms, subject matter—without speculative interpretation; patient-reported meaning or associations using clear attribution such as "Patient stated..."; and progress toward treatment goals with observable behavioral evidence. If no art-making occurred or work was not completed, state this explicitly. Omit content not part of the session rather than noting its absence.)

Safety

[Risk status and screening summary] (Document SI/HI screening results when assessed; any dysregulation, safety events, or concerning content; and actions taken. If risk was not assessed, explicitly state the reason and disposition—for example, "SI/HI not assessed due to [reason]; patient [disposition/action]." In higher-acuity settings, include a brief risk line each session. Omit this section in low-acuity outpatient settings where no risk indicators were present.)

Plan

• [Recommendation for continued group participation or change in level of care]
• [Homework or practice tasks assigned] (Include only if applicable.)
• [Follow-up needs] (Include only if applicable; e.g., individual therapy, psychiatry, care coordination.)
• [Safety follow-up plan] (Include only if risk was identified.)

Confidentiality: Do not document names or identifying details of other group members; use generic references such as "another member" or "the group."