Couples Therapy Notes Template (2026)
A couples therapy notes template: a couples SOAP structure, a per-partner observation grid, a relationship dynamics section, Gottman, EFT and IBCT prompts, and three complete sample notes.
What is in the template
- A couples SOAP template structured for a 50 or 80 minute session, with Partner A, Partner B, and dyadic content captured separately rather than blended.
- A per-partner observation grid running nine domains side by side: mood, affect, engagement, communication style, listening, defensive patterns, repair attempts, and risk.
- A relationship dynamics section, which is the part of couples documentation that simply does not exist in an individual note.
- Modality prompts. Gottman: the Four Horsemen and their antidotes, bids, repair attempts, and the Sound Relationship House. EFT: the negative cycle, attachment fears, and phase of therapy. IBCT: theme, DEEP analysis, and acceptance work.
- Homework documentation per partner and shared. An IPV screening protocol covering when to screen, sample questions, what to do when something is detected, and sample documentation. Risk and safety per individual across suicidal ideation, homicidal ideation, child safety, IPV, and substance use.
- Three complete sample notes: a Gottman week 6, an EFT phase 2, and an IBCT acceptance work session. Plus a table of eight documentation pitfalls specific to couples work and a 60 second checklist.
Who it is for
LMFTs and LMFT-As. Couples therapists from any license background (LCSW, LPC, LMHC, LPCC, psychologists). Gottman-trained clinicians at Levels 1 through 3 and certified. EFT clinicians at externship, core skills, or certification. IBCT and behavioral couples therapists. Pre-marital and discernment counselors. Group practice owners standardizing couples documentation. Supervisors teaching pre-licensed couples therapists to write these notes.
Why it exists
In couples therapy the client is the relationship, but two people are in the room. Standard SOAP captures one client per note. Use it for couples and you document one partner well, the other in passing, and the relational dynamic not at all. That is the first thing a chart review catches.
13 pages. A couples SOAP template, a per-partner observation grid, modality prompt sets for Gottman, EFT and IBCT, an IPV screening protocol built into every session rather than intake only, and three complete sample notes, one per modality.
Why it is built this way
Most couples note templates are individual SOAP templates with the word couple pasted on, so the structure never captures what you actually saw. This one is built around the structural problem: two subjective sections, two objective sections, a separate dyadic objective, individual mental status per partner, individual risk per partner, and a relational assessment section.
Reviewers flag couples notes for documenting only one partner more than for anything else. Filling the same nine-domain grid every session makes the chart read as systematic rather than selective.
IPV is the highest-stakes thing to miss in couples work, and a single intake screen is not the standard of care. The protocol covers screening intervals, questions for separate interviews, the criteria that make conjoint work contraindicated, and documentation language that protects both you and the victimized partner. Charts get subpoenaed, and the template assumes it.
Gottman, EFT, and IBCT generate different relational data. Documenting the Four Horsemen in an EFT chart reads as confused; documenting attachment cycles in a Gottman chart misses what you actually did. Matching the prompts to the model makes the chart read as coherent treatment rather than eclectic improvisation.
Format
Editable, fillable PDF. Editable Microsoft Word (.docx). Built for in-session use, post-session completion, or copy-paste into your EHR. US Letter (8.5 x 11) and A4 (8.3 x 11.7) both included. Works on Mac, Windows, iPad, GoodNotes, and Notability. Lifetime access, unlimited prints.
Updated 2026
CPT codes current to 2026, including 90847 with the patient present. The Gottman material reflects the most recent Sound Relationship House and conflict management research. EFT phase structure aligns with current Sue Johnson protocols. IBCT prompts reflect the current Christensen and Jacobson model. IPV screening follows current ACOG and AAMFT best-practice guidance.
How to use it
Pick the modality section that matches the model you are running. Use the SOAP template for the bones and the per-partner grid for structured observation. Drop the modality prompts into Assessment and Plan. Screen for IPV at intake using the separate-interview protocol, then re-screen every three to six months and any time you see fear or escalating control. Use the sample notes as the standard your finished notes should meet.
Couples documentation is a different discipline from individual documentation. The template treats it that way.
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