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Should You Invite AI into Your Practice?
As you know from our article, The Healthcare Professional’s Guide to HIPAA and AI, you cannot simply copy and paste your client session notes into the free version of ChatGPT. Doing so is a direct HIPAA violation and a massive breach of client trust.
But understanding the risks doesn’t mean you have to reject the technology entirely. If you are currently spending 10 to 15 minutes between sessions furiously typing up SOAP notes, or sacrificing your Friday afternoons to catch up on a backlog of clinical documentation, AI can be life-changing.
You just have to use the right tools the right way.
Let’s take a highly specific look at the note-taking platforms built exclusively for therapists. Here are a few of the options we recommend, how they streamline your documentation process, and our top recommendations for how to use them ethically.
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But First and Most Importantly: Is AI Actually Right for You?
Before we jump into a look at specific tools, we want to pause and look at the bigger picture.
Just because a technology is trending doesn’t mean your practice needs it. If you already have a documentation system that works well for you, or if the idea of integrating a new digital platform makes you feel more anxious than relieved, it is completely okay to pass on AI or any other technology.
To help you decide if an AI note-taking integration is worth your energy, ask yourself a few questions:
- Is note-taking a major daily friction point? Are you constantly running behind on documentation or letting paperwork spill over into your weekends and evenings?
- Do you struggle to stay present? Do you find yourself splitting your attention between your client’s body language and the keyboard because you are worried about forgetting key details?
- What is your baseline comfort level with new tools? Are you open to an initial workflow adjustment if it buys you back significant time every week?
If you are realizing that your current administrative workload is a friction point—and you want a secure way to streamline it without losing the unique, human connection that defines your care—let’s look at the platforms leading the industry.
Recommended AI Scribes and Therapy Notes Platforms
The most significant time drain for most therapists we work with is documentation. Ambient AI scribes solve this by securely “listening” to your session (with explicit client consent) or processing an audio recording after the fact. They then use specialized language models to generate a structured, professional clinical note in a matter of seconds.
Here are a few of the secure platforms leading the field for therapists right now:
- Twofold: Twofold focuses on psychology-specific note workflows. It allows you to record sessions, dictate summaries, or type key points to generate structured treatment plans and notes. It also includes an “Assistant” mode that retrieves details from previous sessions.
- Upheal: Built specifically for mental health professionals, Upheal integrates with telehealth sessions to generate structured progress notes in SOAP, DAP, or custom formats. It also provides clinical insights, such as session themes and suggested ICD-10 codes.
- Mentalyc: Positioned as an AI scribe specifically for behavioral health, Mentalyc focuses on producing SOAP and BIRP notes. It offers export functionality to major Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems like SimplePractice and TherapyNotes.
- Freed.ai: Freed translates live or telehealth audio into narrative or SOAP notes. It features a Chrome extension that allows you to push notes directly into a browser-based EHR, and it can automatically generate ICD-10 codes, patient instructions, and referrals.
- KenzNote: If the idea of an AI “bot” joining your live session makes you or your clients uncomfortable, KenzNote is an upload-only tool (no listening). You record the session locally, then upload the audio file after the session ends. It creates a transcript and a detailed summary, and you have total control over what gets processed.
How These Tools Actually Streamline Your Flow
When implemented correctly, integrating one of these tools into your practice does not make your care feel “robotic.” In fact, it does the opposite. It frees up your time and energy by letting the “robot” handle tasks that robots do well: dictation and organization.
By offloading the administrative heavy lifting to a secure AI platform, you can:
- Stay Present: You no longer need to split your attention between your client and your keyboard or notepad. You can maintain eye contact and stay deeply engaged in the session, knowing the AI is securely capturing all the details.
- Reclaim Your Margins: Those 10-15 minutes between sessions can actually be used to breathe, get a drink of water, or review notes for your next client.
- Enhance Treatment Plans: Because AI scribes capture the exact phrasing of a client’s concerns over time, it becomes much easier to track recurring themes, spot slow shifts in mood, and build more personalized, data-backed treatment plans.
Addressing (Rightfully) Scary Headlines: Why Consumer Apps Are Leaking Therapy Notes
Earlier this year, the cybersecurity firm Oversecured—a highly respected mobile security auditing company trusted by global tech brands—uncovered critical vulnerabilities in several of the most popular mental health apps on the market. These are consumer-grade (not enterprise-grade) apps that have tens of millions of downloads, major venture funding, and have facilitated hundreds of millions of conversations.
The flaw? A technical oversight in how these mobile apps pass data to your phone behind the scenes. Android apps communicate using an internal messaging system called “intents”. A secure app sends data only to a specific, verified recipient. However, researchers found that these vulnerable mental health apps were essentially broadcasting data without naming a specific recipient. This means any other app (like a seemingly harmless one that actually contains malicious code) on the same phone could easily and quietly intercept therapy notes, mood logs, and personal conversations in the background.
And because therapy records are incredibly (and unfortunately) valuable on the dark web—often selling for over $1,000 per record, far more than credit card numbers—these apps have become prime targets for cyber espionage, with attackers often using stolen therapy notes to extort victims directly.
Read Oversecured’s full article here: Security Researchers Find Vulnerabilities in Mental Health Apps
How Our Recommendations Are Different (Hint: It always comes down to “consumer” vs. “enterprise”)
Reading headlines like the above can make you want to swear off technology entirely (ah, if only, right?). But this is exactly why our team at WP Wellness monitors cybersecurity news, and why we’re careful regarding the tools we recommend.
The vulnerable apps making headlines, like the one above, are consumer-grade mobile apps. The note-taking tools we recommended earlier in this article are enterprise-grade platforms.
This means the apps we recommend are legally bound by a Business Associate Agreement (BAA), heavily audited by third-party security firms, and operate in isolated, highly secure cloud environments. Your data is fully encrypted end-to-end and never relies on a vulnerable device-level messaging system.
A Note on Transparency
Using secure, enterprise-grade AI tools protects your patients’ data, but it doesn’t replace their right to informed consent. In fact, both the APA and the ACA have recently released strict ethical guidelines emphasizing that clients must be made aware of any AI tools used in their care.
As we detailed in our previous guide, radical transparency is non-negotiable.
If an AI scribe is summarizing a session, your clients must be informed. You should update your intake paperwork to clearly explain what AI tools you use, how patient data is protected (e.g., that the tool does not use their PHI to train its models), and—crucially—offer a clear, stigma-free opt-out option for clients who prefer a traditional, tech-free approach.
Partner With WP Wellness
Whether you are already using AI, ready to dip your toes in, or prefer to keep your practice AI-free but would still like things to run more smoothly, WP Wellness is ready to step in.
Technology exists to make your life easier, and so do we. At WP Wellness, we act as your dedicated digital strategy team, sharing your clinical goals and empowering your growth through the thoughtful use of technology, authentic content creation, and secure backend support.
Ready to get your time back?
Schedule a free 30-minute consultation to discover how a partnership with WP Wellness can modernize your practice, reduce administrative friction, and empower you to focus on what matters most—the well-being of your clients and yourself.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes an AI note-taking tool HIPAA-compliant?
To be HIPAA-compliant, an AI platform must be enterprise-grade. This means the company must execute a Business Associate Agreement (BAA), ensure data is fully encrypted end-to-end, and guarantee that your Protected Health Information (PHI) is never used to train their language models. Free, consumer-grade tools like ChatGPT do not meet these requirements.
Do I need to inform my clients if I use an AI scribe?
Yes. Both the APA and the ACA emphasize that clients must be made aware of any AI tools used in their care. You should update your intake paperwork to clearly explain how the tool works and always offer a stigma-free opt-out option for clients who prefer a traditional approach.
Are consumer mental health apps safe for clinical use?
Generally, no. Many popular, consumer-grade mental health apps lack enterprise-level security. Critical flaws in how their code works could allow malicious apps on the same device to intercept highly sensitive therapy notes and mood logs.
