In this episode of the Setting Up for Success series, Mary and Kim talk about documentation! Love it or hate it, your documentation system can either drain your time or save it. Mary and Kim walk listeners through how they’ve simplified their approach to notes while still meeting all the necessary requirements—and keeping parents in the loop.

They share how their practice uses Simple Practice, a digital EMR system they love for its features and flexibility. But instead of typing up detailed SOAP notes after every session, they often use a paper-based daily note that doubles as a parent-friendly handout. It’s quick to fill out, easy for families to read, and can be uploaded to the EMR with a simple photo. Bonus? Parents get instant feedback in their child’s folder.

Mary and Kim emphasize that clarity and purpose are more important than long, wordy notes. Their paper system includes the goals for each session, progress percentages, and homework suggestions—so everyone’s on the same page. For more formal reassessments or complex cases (like medically fragile kids), they switch back to the digital templates in Simple Practice to keep collaborating teams informed and organized.

They also explain how their paper notes are helpful for teacher conferences and progress reviews—especially when you’ve got consent to share info with educators. It keeps teachers involved in therapy carryover without needing to dig through emails or portals.

Throughout the episode, Mary and Kim encourage SLPs to ask themselves:
What’s the goal of this documentation? Who needs to read it? And how can I make it useful without overcomplicating it?

If you're a therapist looking to streamline your own documentation process, Mary and Kim offer ready-to-use templates on their website and have even compiled a full Policies & Procedures List for starting a private practice. 

Resources Mentioned:
🖥 Simple Practice – Try it with our discount code
📄 Documentation templates & P+P Checklist: TheSpeechSource.com

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