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If you are a therapist, counselor, or other mental health professional, documentation can eat up a big chunk of your administrative time. Good note templates make that process faster, but not every mental health practice software gives you the same level of control over how your notes actually look.
Some platforms hand you a stack of pre-built templates and that’s it. Others let you tweak an existing template here and there. And a few let you build your documentation from the ground up.
If you have a specific documentation style, work with particular clinical terminology, or just want your notes to match the way you actually think through a session, customizable templates matter more than most people expect when they’re comparing EHRs.
Below are the platforms worth looking at if customizable therapy notes are high on your list, along with what I’ve seen make the biggest difference for the practices I’ve worked with on the billing and operations side.
What Makes a Good Customizable Note Template
Before you start comparing software, it helps to know what you’re actually looking for.
A good note template should make documentation easier, not just hand you more fields to fill out.
Depending on your practice and the services you offer, you may want to customize:
- Progress notes
- SOAP notes
- DAP notes
- BIRP notes
- Treatment plans
- Assessments
- Intake documentation
- Psychotherapy notes
- Session summaries
- Custom forms
- Clinical questionnaires
You might also want control over the individual fields inside a template, not just the template as a whole. For example, your progress note might need sections for:
- Presenting concerns
- Interventions used
- Client response
- Progress toward treatment goals
- Risk assessment
- Plan for the next session
The more control you have, the more likely the software will actually fit how you already work instead of forcing you to change your workflow to fit the software.
That said, more customization isn’t automatically better. An overly complicated template can slow you down just as much as a rigid one. The goal is flexibility without extra administrative work.
Mental Health Practice Software With Customizable Notes
Here are five platforms worth comparing if note customization is a priority for you.
1. SimplePractice
SimplePractice is one of the most widely used practice management platforms for therapists, and documentation is one of its strongest features. It gives you templates for different types of clinical documentation along with real options for customizing them to fit your style.
One advantage of an established EHR like this one is that your documentation lives alongside the rest of your practice, your client records, scheduling, and billing aren’t sitting in separate systems you have to keep in sync manually. That matters more than people realize once you’re juggling a full caseload.
Best for: Therapists who want customizable documentation inside a full practice management system that also handles billing and scheduling.
Not best for: Therapists who want a stripped-down, bare-bones tool. SimplePractice does a lot, and if you only need basic notes and a calendar, it can feel like more system than you need.
If you’re weighing it against another platform, I’ve broken down two of the most common comparisons:
- SimplePractice vs. Jane: Which EHR Is Better for Therapists?
- SimplePractice vs. TherapyNotes: Which EHR Is Better for Therapists?
Try SimplePractice free for 30 days
2. TherapyNotes
TherapyNotes is built specifically for behavioral health practices, not adapted from a general medical EHR. That distinction shows up in how its documentation tools are structured. Its clinical note templates are designed around the way therapists actually document sessions, rather than feeling like a workaround.
Best for: Mental health professionals who want an EHR built from the ground up around behavioral health documentation.
Not best for: Practices that want heavy customization outside of notes too. TherapyNotes tends to be more rigid in areas like billing reports and intake workflows compared to some newer platforms, so if flexibility across your entire system matters, weigh that against its documentation strengths.
See how it stacks up here: SimplePractice vs. TherapyNotes: Which EHR Is Better for Therapists?
3. Sessions Health
Sessions Health is a newer entrant, and it leans into flexibility as a selling point. The idea behind customizable templates is being able to build documentation around your actual workflow instead of adapting your workflow to fit a rigid form, and that’s the philosophy Sessions Health is built on.
Best for: Solo and small-practice therapists who want a modern, flexible system without a lot of legacy bloat.
Not best for: Larger group practices that need enterprise-level features and a long track record. Sessions Health is still building out its footprint compared to more established platforms.
Curious how it compares to a bigger name? Read Sessions Health vs. SimplePractice: Which EHR Is Better for Therapists?
4. TherapyZen
TherapyZen combines practice management and clinical documentation in one system, with a focus on simplicity. It’s worth a look if you don’t need an extremely complex platform and want something straightforward.
One thing to know upfront: TherapyZen is built primarily for private-pay, fee-for-service counselors, not for practices with heavy insurance billing workflows.
Best for: Cash-pay or fee-for-service therapists who want a simple, integrated documentation and scheduling tool.
Not best for: Therapists who bill insurance regularly. If claims, eligibility checks, and insurance-specific reporting are a big part of your day, this likely isn’t built for that workflow.
5. Jane
Jane (often called Jane App) is a broader practice management platform used across many types of healthcare and wellness professions, including mental health. It offers genuinely customizable documentation tools, which is appealing if you want a lot of control over your notes.
The tradeoff is that Jane isn’t built exclusively for mental health. If you want software designed specifically around psychotherapy documentation, it’s worth comparing Jane’s mental-health-specific features directly against platforms like SimplePractice.
Best for: Practices that want flexible documentation along with broader practice management functionality, especially multidisciplinary practices.
Not best for: Solo therapists who want a system built exclusively around mental health workflows rather than general healthcare.
See the comparisons here:
- SimplePractice vs. Jane: Which EHR Is Better for Therapists?
- Carepatron vs. Jane: Which One Fits Your Practice?
See if Jane fits your practice
How to Choose the Right Software for Customizable Notes
Customizable note templates shouldn’t be the only thing you compare. Before you commit to a platform, ask these questions.
Can you create your own templates, or just choose from a list?
There’s a big difference between picking from twenty pre-built templates and actually building your own from scratch. If you already have a documentation style you like, look for software that lets you create or substantially modify templates rather than just select one.
Can you customize individual sections?
Some platforms let you modify a whole template but give you very little control over individual fields. Check whether you can add, remove, rename, or rearrange sections within a template, not just swap templates entirely.
Can you create different templates for different services?
This matters if your practice offers more than one type of service. You might want separate templates for individual therapy, couples therapy, family therapy, group therapy, initial evaluations, treatment plan updates, and discharge summaries.
Can your templates be reused?
The whole point of a template is skipping the blank page every time. Confirm your customized templates save and carry over across clients and sessions instead of resetting each time.
Does the software support your billing workflow?
Documentation and billing are more connected than people expect. If you bill insurance, don’t choose an EHR purely on its note templates and then find out its claims submission, superbills, eligibility verification, or reporting don’t meet your needs. This is one of the most common regrets I hear about from practices that switched platforms too fast.
Is the software HIPAA compliant?
Your practice management software holds protected health information, so security and HIPAA compliance need to be part of your evaluation, not an afterthought.
Customizable Templates vs. AI Documentation
There’s another feature worth thinking about while you’re shopping: AI-assisted documentation.
AI scribes and note-writing tools can generate documentation from your session, which can cut down the time you spend manually filling in a template. But AI documentation and customizable templates solve two different problems.
A customizable template gives you control over what your note contains and how it’s structured. An AI documentation tool speeds up how quickly that note gets filled in. For some therapists, the ideal setup uses both.
If you’re considering an AI scribe, pay close attention to how it handles client consent, privacy, data security, and your review process before anything becomes part of the official clinical record.
Which Mental Health Software Has the Best Customizable Note Templates?
There isn’t one platform that wins for every therapist. It depends on how much customization you actually need and how that fits into the rest of your practice.
If customizable documentation is your top priority, start by comparing SimplePractice, TherapyNotes, Sessions Health, TherapyZen, and Jane against your own workflow, not just against each other on paper.
- SimplePractice is a strong choice if you want customizable documentation inside a widely used, full practice management system.
- TherapyNotes is worth a close look if you want an EHR built specifically around behavioral health documentation.
- Sessions Health appeals to therapists who want flexibility and a modern interface without a lot of extras.
- TherapyZen fits cash-pay and fee-for-service therapists who want something simple and integrated.
- Jane is a solid option if you want customizable notes plus broader practice management features, particularly for multidisciplinary practices.
Ready to Find Your Best Fit?
Don’t choose an EHR based on a list of features alone. The best way to compare customizable note templates is to see how each platform handles a real note from your own practice.
Start with the software that best matches your needs, then use the free trial or demo to build a few notes before you commit.
Want to Make the Decision Easier?
If you’re comparing EHRs because you’re tired of fighting with your current documentation workflow, don’t overlook the features you’ll use every day. Your note template should save you time—not create another administrative headache.
FAQ
Can I create my own note template from scratch, or am I limited to pre-built options?
It depends on the platform. SimplePractice, Sessions Health, and Jane all allow a meaningful level of custom template creation. TherapyNotes and TherapyZen offer more structured customization within their existing templates. Always confirm the specific level of control before subscribing, since “customizable” means different things across platforms.
Do customizable templates cost extra?
Usually not as a separate add-on, but template customization is often tied to a specific pricing tier. Check current plan details directly on each platform’s site before assuming a feature is included.
Is more customization always better?
No. A template with too many fields can slow down documentation just as much as one that’s too rigid. Aim for enough flexibility to match your workflow without creating extra clicks for every note.
The Bottom Line
Customizable note templates can save real time and make documentation feel a lot more natural. They’re just one part of choosing mental health practice software, though.
When you’re comparing EHRs, look at the whole workflow: notes, treatment plans, scheduling, telehealth, billing, insurance claims, client communication, and reporting. The best software is the one that fits how you already run your practice, not the one that forces you to rebuild your workflow around it.
If you’re already using a platform you like, it’s worth checking whether its existing templates can be customized before you consider switching EHRs entirely. You may be able to solve the documentation problem without touching the rest of your system.
For a broader look at how these platforms stack up overall, not just on documentation, check out The Best Mental Health EHRs.
