Latest article10 min read
How to set your fees as a therapist
A method for setting your therapy fees: real costs, positioning, a sliding scale with written criteria, and the APA ethics of fee agreements.
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Gesell Blog
Practical ideas on clinical documentation, treatment planning, and AI for mental health professionals.
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10 min read
A cancellation policy that protects your schedule
How to design a cancellation and no-show policy for your practice: APA ethics, consent-based framing, reminder evidence, and sample language to adapt.
- private practice
10 min read
Therapy termination: when to end and how to document closure
When to end therapy under APA Ethics Standard 10.10, how to work the closing phase, and what the final progress note needs to document closure well.
- clinical documentation
- treatment planning
10 min read
Writing better session records
Your session record is the raw material of the clinical note: what to capture, when to write it, how recording and consent fit, and why AI needs it.
- clinical documentation
- clinical AI
10 min read
What AI can and cannot do in psychotherapy
An honest capability map for AI in psychotherapy: what it does well today, where it needs your review, and what stays human, with sourced evidence.
- clinical AI
9 min read
BIRP notes: a practical guide with examples
An in-depth BIRP note guide: what each section holds per the official county manuals, a complete worked example, and when to pick another format.
- clinical documentation
- BIRP notes
10 min read
Clinical documentation mistakes that put your practice at risk
Seven clinical documentation mistakes auditors keep finding, the exact rule each one breaks, and how to fix the habit before it puts you at risk.
- clinical documentation
11 min read
GAD-7: administration and interpretation in practice
A practical GAD-7 guide for clinicians: administration, what each cutoff really means, the evidence behind the Spanish versions, and progress tracking.
- assessment tools
- assessment
11 min read
GIRP notes: a practical guide with examples
An in-depth GIRP note guide: what each letter means per official manuals, a complete worked example, GIRP vs BIRP, and how the format fits your records.
- clinical documentation
- GIRP notes
9 min read
The intake interview: what to ask in the first session
A practical intake interview guide: the areas to cover in session one, PHQ-9 and GAD-7 baselines, risk screening, and how to document all of it.
- assessment
- intake
11 min read
Is it safe to use AI with patient information?
What the question really turns on: data-protection duties, WHO and APA guidance, and the questions to ask any AI vendor before it touches session data.
- clinical AI
- professional ethics
11 min read
How to measure patient progress session by session
A practical guide to measurement-based care: PHQ-9 and GAD-7 every session, reliable-change thresholds, functioning measures, and your notes.
- treatment planning
- assessment
10 min read
PHQ-9: administration and interpretation in practice
A practical PHQ-9 guide for clinicians: administration, score interpretation, what a positive item 9 requires, and where to get the official free forms.
- assessment tools
- assessment
9 min read
Teletherapy: frame, platforms, and good practices
A practical teletherapy guide: the APA 2024 telepsychology guidelines, session frame, emergency planning, and the questions to ask any platform vendor.
- teletherapy
- professional ethics
10 min read
Informed consent in psychotherapy: what it must include
A complete guide to informed consent in psychotherapy: essential elements, confidentiality limits, minors, teletherapy, recordings and AI tools.
- professional ethics
- informed consent
10 min read
How to write a treatment plan with SMART goals
A complete guide to treatment plans with SMART goals: PHQ-9 severity bands, measurement-based care, a complete sample plan, and review cadence.
- treatment planning
- SMART goals
9 min read
DAP vs. SOAP notes: which should you use in your practice?
The real differences between DAP and SOAP notes, what every note must include no matter the format, and clear criteria for choosing the right one.
- clinical documentation
- DAP notes
- SOAP notes
1 min read
Welcome to the Gesell blog
Introducing the gesell.ai blog: a space about clinical documentation, treatment planning, and AI for mental health professionals.
- announcements
8 min read
SOAP notes: a practical guide for clinical psychologists
An in-depth SOAP note guide: what belongs in each section, when to write the note, common mistakes, and how notes fit legal record-keeping rules.
- clinical documentation
- SOAP notes