Misery or Mastery®
Essential Documentation for Psychotherapists
… empowering mental health professionals to translate their clinical intuition into effective documentation
A Special Day Long LIVE Training with the Documentation Wizard® Beth Rontal, LICSW
Friday, April 11, 2025 - 10AM - 6:00PM EDT
Enroll in your Misery or Mastery LIVE Webinar TODAY!
LIVE WEBINAR
$387.00Add to cart
ADD 6 CE CREDITS
$30.00Add to cart
You may never learn to love writing your notes but if you choose mastery over misery, your good clinical documentation will not only be meaningful, it will contribute to and reflect high quality care -- and protect your income at the same time.
- Beth Rontal, LICSW
WHY DO THERAPISTS HATE MENTAL HEALTH DOCUMENTATION?
Should there be a DSM Code for "Documentation Anxiety"?
If you’d rather clean the toilet than write your progress notes, you’re not alone. Mental health documentation is the subject almost every therapist loves to hate. For a good reason. It wasn’t taught in grad schools, and it’s rarely taught on the job. Even if you …
- Lose sleep about audits or legal involvement
- Wonder if you’re writing too little or too much
- Spend too much time writing notes, procrastinate or avoid them
- Wish you knew the regulatory standards
- Worry about how to preserve client confidentiality
- Think writing notes is a clinically irrelevant waste of time …
… every therapist knows that avoiding progress notes puts their practice in jeopardy.
The Misery or Mastery: Essential Documentation for Psychotherapists training, teaches a step-by-step approach to guide you through the process of writing treatment plans, session notes, and the other essential clinical documents needed in every clinical practice.
In this interactive webinar, all learning styles are incorporated because this is how people learn best. Every requirement is explained by providing content and context because learning is amplified by knowing the why of requirements. Concepts are explained in exquisite details, with lots of repetition, case examples, stories to illustrate the concepts, and two practice sessions.
Translate your intuition into logical and effective documentation skills.
- Learn documentation requirements.
- Reduce the time you spend on paperwork.
- Write clinically useful notes.
- Understand what and how much to write.
- Preserve client confidentiality.
- Protect yourself from board complaints.
- Pass stringent audits.
- Reduce your documentation anxiety.
TREATMENT PLAN FOR DOCUMENTATION ANXIETY
THE PROBLEM
- Mental health documentation is essential to the professional standard of care, but it’s not taught in grad school.
- Mental health documentation is challenging because we deal with confidential and sensitive information that can marginalize our client.
- You lose sleep not knowing what or how much to write.
- Spend too much unpaid time writing your notes or avoiding them.
- Paperwork seems unrelated to therapy and like a clinically irrelevant waste of time.
- Justifying medical necessity can feel like you are complying with arbitrary rules that have nothing to do with helping your client heal and grow.
- You feel frustrated, anxious, burnt out, and like a bad therapist.
THE GOAL
- Learn the requirements.
- Know what and how much to write and how to maintain client confidentiality protects our clients.
- Document your work quickly and efficiently.
- Protect yourself against board complaints and pass audits.
- Translate your intuition and skill into effective and efficient documentation.
- Documentation is time for “self-supervision” and helps provide good therapy.
THE STANDARDS
- “Medical Necessity” is the gold standard for documentation and is based on Federal or Medicare requirements.
- The Golden Thread ties all the elements of documentation together so that your work creates a complete picture of clinical care.
- Justifying medical necessity is essential whether you see private pay clients, or you accept insurance.
THE RESULT
- Boost confidence by mastering Medicare standards.
- Recognize documentation as a shield that explains and defends your work.
- Pass audits.
- Defend yourself against board complaints.
- Prevent clawbacks, and burnout.
- Sleep well at night knowing that you can protect your income and your clients.
- Feel proud and confident that you can maintain your professional standards of care.
Essential Documentation for Psychotherapists
Course Outline
MODULE 1: INTRODUCTION - FUNDAMENTALS OF DOCUMENTATION
- The Topic Clinicians Love to Hate.
- You’re not crazy or stupid. You’re just not trained.
- Why document?
- Writing for different “masters.”
- Documentation through the lens of medical necessity.
- “The Golden Thread” as the key element to medical necessity.
- Documentation as a contribution to good clinical work.
- Documentation as protection of income and agent of professional integrity.
- Anxiety-reducing answers to common questions.
- Avoiding documentation fatigue.
- Why private pay therapists need to know documentation requirements.
MODULE 2: THE TREATMENT PLAN
- Avoid the cookie cutter treatment plan and write ones that are clinically useful.
- What's needed in a treatment plan and why.
- Writing a treatment plan that justifies medical necessity.
- Implementing the Golden Thread with case examples.
- The Treatment Plan Formula.
- Operationalizing the presenting problem.
- How to describe the diagnostic criteria using behavioral language.
- Questions to ask.
- Creating a clear connection between the problem, goals, objectives, and interventions.
- The distinction between goals and objectives and why it’s important.
- Protecting client and therapist with a risk assessment.
- Evaluating and documenting progress.
- How to evaluate and document prognosis.
- Frequency of treatment plans.
- How to avoid making yourself crazy writing your treatment plans,
Solidify your Knowledge with a Treatment Plan Practice Session
MODULE 3: THE SESSION NOTE
- Definition of a session note and how it relates to the treatment plan.
- What's needed in a session note for insurance companies and the law, and why.
- Writing a session note that justifies medical necessity using behavioral language and the “golden thread” with case examples.
- What to include in the “clinical content” part of the note.
- Why clinical assessments are necessary and how to write them.
- Writing intervention that represent your work rather than the one-size fits-all interventions found in treatment planning books.
- Determining how much or how little to write.
- Documenting risk.
- Maintaining client confidentiality.
- How to justify the use of 90837.
- Justifying multiple sessions in one week.
Practice writing a session note and review
MODULE 4: Case/Collateral Contact Note, Discharge Summary, & Diagnostic Summary
Case/Collateral Contact Note
- The difference between a Case and Collateral Contact Note.
- Everything that’s needed in a Case and Collateral Contact Note and why.
- Relationship to the treatment plan.
- Maintain the “golden thread.”
- Justifies medical necessity with case examples.
- Clinical and legal Importance of Case/Collateral Contact Note.
Discharge Summary
- Definition of a discharge summary and how it relates to the treatment plan.
- Everything that’s needed in a discharge summary and why.
- How the discharge summary completes the Golden Thread.
- Legal considerations of a discharge summary.
- Termination letter or not.
Intake or Diagnostic Summary
- Establishing the connection between the diagnosis and treatment.
- Initiating the Golden Thread.
- Laying the ground for medical necessity.
- What’s needed in a diagnostic summary and why.
- What relevant history to include.
- What kind of risk to document and how.
- Legal requirements.
- Ethical requirement
- Demonstrating culturally competent treatment with a thorough risk assessment.
- When to write a diagnostic summary.
MODULE 5: RED FLAGS & LEGAL ISSUES - AND HOW TO AVOID THEM
- Common mistakes that will trigger an audit.
- What diagnoses can trigger an audit.
- How to fail an audit.
- What Medicare does not cover.
- Documenting “poor self-esteem.”
- Documentation mistakes that appear as insurance fraud.
- Avoiding legal nightmares.
- Documenting unusual clinical issues.
- How to choose a documentation template.
- To EHR or not? Are paper notes OK?
- And much more.
Your Teacher for this LIVE Workshop
Beth Rontal, MSW, LICSW, a private practice therapist and the Documentation Wizard is a nationally recognized consultant on mental health documentation. Her Misery and Mastery trainings and accompanying forms are developed to meet strict Medicare requirements. The Documentation Wizard training program helps clinicians turn their clinical skill and intuition into a systematic review of treatment that helps to pass audits, protect income, maintain professional standards of care, reduce documentation anxiety, and increase self-confidence. Beth’s forms have been approved by 2 attorneys, a bioethicist, and a billing expert and have been used all over the world. She mastered her teaching skills with thousands of hours supervising and training both seasoned professionals and interns when supervising at an agency for 11 years. Her newest initiative, Membership Circle, is designed to empower psychotherapists to master documentation with expert guidance, efficient strategies, and a supportive community. With a passion for the arts, Beth also delves into writing, singing, and performing. She is currently developing her one-woman show titled "My Mother’s Daughter."
Here’s What You’ll Receive in this Online Training…
#1 FIVE LIVE TRAINING MODULES WITH BETH RONTAL, LICSW
You will be registered to join Beth during her live training sessions on ZOOM on Friday, April 11 from 10am - 6pm EDT. Beth's training sessions are interactive and provide multiple opportunities for asking your specific questions.
#2 WORKSHOP MANUAL
Review and print out the entire Powerpoint Slide Deck. Take notes on these information packed slides. Includes even more information than discussed!
#3 SAMPLE TREATMENT PLAN & SAMPLE PROGRESS NOTE
Practice writing a treatment plan and progress note based on a recorded interview. We provide you with blanks of each to practice with. (These are not the actual treatment plan and progress note. These contain the information needed to create the Golden Thread. They do not include all the administrative requirements.)
#4 ACCESS TO VIDEO
Within 7 to 10 days after the LIVE ZOOM Training session, you'll have access to the recorded sessions in your account. This allows us time to edit them for you, so you can watch and listen at your convenience—whether you missed something or just want to review.
Your access will continue for one year.
PLUS You’ll Receive these Special Bonuses
Bonus #1
Two 1-hour follow up Q&As!
Scheduled a few weeks after the training gives you time to integrate what you learned. Come prepared with questions and continue learning from the Documentation Wizard. If you can’t attend live – get access to the recording for an entire year. A $450 value (but priceless if you have a pressing question!).
Bonus #2
15% discount on all paperwork packages:
- Clinical Forms
- Practice Management Forms
- Financial Management Forms
- Essential Informed Consents and Policies
- Diagnostic & Assessment Forms
That’s up to a $90 savings. Discount ends 5/11/2025.
Bonus #3
List of Progress Prompts
No progress, moderate progress, and significant progress” is not enough to demonstrate the “golden thread” and document progress. In the Misery or Mastery course, you’ll learn that it needs to be specific to track a client’s journey. This means going beyond vague terms and using clear descriptions of the client's improvements. These prompts will help you articulate client progress effectively without revealing confidential information. Valued at $67.
Bonus #4
List of 101 Open Ended Intervention Prompts
Tired of the treatment planning books with cookie-cutter interventions from that don’t resonate with your client or your therapeutic techniques? These 101 open-ended intervention prompts will jump start your clinical thinking, and help you write interventions that resonate with the real person sitting across from you. No psychobabble, just clear, effective documentation that clearly communicates what you did in session. Add your own to the list and make it totally customized to your practice. Valued at $27.
Bonus #5
List of Client & Family Strengths
Quality care and requirements includes documenting client strengths and how they will use them in therapy. Clients often have a difficult time identifying their strengths. Use this list of 35 positive qualities in session to help prompt your client if they’re struggling. Or send them the list to complete with the Intake packet. Valued at $27.
Bonus #6
Join Membership Circle at the GOLDEN RING Level
Get your annual membership for ONLY $42/month (save $108 for the year).
✔️ Monthly Documentation Dash and Done Co-Working Session valued at $444/year
🎯 Monthly Group Consultation & Coaching with Beth, the Documentation Wizard (Recorded & Annotated) valued at $900/year
🎙️ Expert Interviews with Q&A (Recorded & Annotated) valued at $400/year
🔹 Exclusive Facebook Group for deeper discussions priceless for the community
📚 Curated Resource Library filled with time saving resources valued at (your hourly fee x 5)
💡 Supportive, No-Shame Community to help you stay on track with reliable structure & accountability priceless
The discounted rate for the Documentation Wizard Membership Circle GOLDEN Ring membership applies to the first year of an annual plan. After the initial year, the standard annual rate will apply. You may cancel your membership at any time.
Here's Everything You'll Receive in
Misery or Mastery: Essential Documentation for Psychotherapists
#1: Five LIVE Zoom Training Modules with Beth Rontal, LICSW
On Friday, April 11, 2025
#2: Workshop Manual
#3: Sample Treatment Plan and Sample Session Note
#4: Access to Video and Audio Recordings
PLUS
Bonus #1: TWO 1-Hour Follow-up Q & As
A $450 value (but priceless if you have a pressing question!).
Bonus #2: 15% discount on all paperwork packages
That’s up to a $75 savings.
Bonus #3: List of Progress Prompts
Valued at $67.
Bonus #4: A List of 101 Open Ended "Intervention Prompts"
Valued at $27.
Bonus #5: List of Client & Family Strengths
Valued at $27.
Bonus #6: Annual Membership Circle GOLDEN RING for $42/month
Valued at $1500+ for a year membership.
Enroll in your Misery or Mastery LIVE Webinar TODAY!
LIVE WEBINAR
$387.00Add to cart
ADD 6 CE CREDITS
$30.00Add to cart
WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING
"Beth's documentation workshop is an unexpected gem: documentation made bearable by a group setting, clear and useful outlines, and the hidden surprise that it all improves one's thinking and thus conscious treatment of clients. I highly, highly recommend it."
- Zonda Mercer, MD.
"This is the best course and instruction I've ever received on documentation. It's given me the framework/structure I've been looking for to conceptualize and help my client's and a sense of inner peace that gives me confidence in what I'm doing for my clients, myself, and for insurance. I no longer feel like I am floundering. I'd highly recommend this investment."
- Sara Karlich, LPC
"I can say without a doubt that Beth Rontal as the original Documentation Wizard helped me achieve 100% record compliance in a Medicare Audit. By taking her course twice and having additional one-on-one consultations, I was able to achieve success and peace of mind in completing the nuisance of record keeping in my busy clinical practice."
-- Alex Kushch, PhD
"If you need to learn how to document or want to make sure that you are documenting is accurate, please take Beth Rontal’s Documentation Wizard class. It’s worth every penny and then some! I purchased the 6-hour course with all her forms. This very well may save me in an audit situation and all the possible negative fallout. Her format is thorough and very specific for every situation you may find yourself in. She explains the components of the intake summary and how it sets up your thinking so you can easily create the treatment plan. And then have each session note reflect the information in these two forms. She helps you understand the goals, objectives, and interventions, and how to document progress. It ends with a discharge summary and the necessary checkboxes to end your liability. The information is overwhelming at first because there is so much of it and stretches your thinking in new and good ways. Beth is highly knowledgeable and doesn’t get called a “wizard” for nothing. Please take this class if you any doubts about your documentation."
-- Michelle F., LMFT
"I want to personally say thank you! This was one of the best courses I have ever attended. As you indicated, unfortunately, we are not taught this invaluable information in our educational programs and this training has literally been life changing for me both personally and professionally. I truly appreciate the gift you are to the world and the profession. Please know that you are beyond appreciated."
- Jatera Maing
"Thanks for a great training. I learned so much. I also felt confident for the first time in writing an intake assessment today and will be fixing older treatment plans as I go. I shared with my supervisor and administrator about your training/services. I’ve been an LCSW for over 30 years. My how our field has changed since I first began!"
-- C. Schaefer, LCSW
"I attended Beth Rontal's workshop, Misery or Mastery: Documenting Medical Necessity, and it was extremely helpful for me, changing how I document for my clinical practice for good. I've been using her forms for the last few months and I must say, they've been quite helpful. My session notes force me to be shorter, sweeter and to the point; and I finish them in a few minutes. The intake form is also good for the same reason, and it covers many bases. Her training and her forms are worth every penny. Don't worry about the price - the quality of the forms and the training are priceless."
-- Po Wi
COST FOR LIVE MISERY OR MASTERY WEBINAR TRAINING
Registration: $387
6 CEs are pending at an additional cost of $30 paid upon registration for social workers, mental health counselors, psychologists, and marriage and family therapists. CE Certificates will be available after LIVE Webinar. You will receive an email when your CEs are available. Participants must attend 100% of the program to earn 6 CEs approved for eligible professions. Please stay tuned for accreditation by profession and state. It will be up to each professional to determine if they are eligible for CEs. IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE OUR CE APPROVALS MEET THE QUALIFICATIONS OF YOUR STATE LICENSING BOARD.
If you plan to watch the replay video instead attending the day of the LIVE Webinar, you can still earn 6 CEs, but you required to complete a post test before receiving your certificate.
Enroll in your Misery or Mastery LIVE Webinar TODAY!
LIVE WEBINAR
$387.00Add to cart
ADD 6 CE CREDITS
$30.00Add to cart
TARGET AUDIENCE
social workers, psychologists, marriage and family therapists, mental health counselors, creative arts therapists, addictions professionals, and other interested human service staff.
CONTENT LEVEL
Beginning, Intermediate, Advanced
TRAINING CEs
In support of improving patient care, this activity has been planned and implemented by Amedco LLC and Documentation Wizard (DD). Amedco LLC is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
6 CEs are pending at an additional cost of $30 paid upon registration for social workers, mental health counselors, psychologists, and marriage and family therapists. CE Certificates will be available after LIVE Webinar. You will receive an email when your CEs are available. Participants must attend 100% of the program to earn 6 CEs approved for eligible professions. Please stay tuned for accreditation by profession and state. It will be up to each professional to determine if they are eligible for CEs. IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE OUR CE APPROVALS MEET THE QUALIFICATIONS OF YOUR STATE LICENSING BOARD.
If you plan to watch the replay video instead attending the day of the LIVE Webinar, you can still earn 6 CEs, but you required to complete a post test before receiving your certificate.
Here's Everything You'll Receive in
Misery or Mastery: Essential Documentation for Psychotherapists
#1: Five LIVE Zoom Training Modules with Beth Rontal, LICSW
On Friday, April 11, 2025
#2: Workshop Manual
#3: Sample Treatment Plan and Sample Session Note
#4: Access to Video and Audio Recordings
PLUS
Bonus #1: TWO 1-Hour Follow-up Q & As
A $450 value (but priceless if you have a pressing question!).
Bonus #2: 15% discount on all paperwork packages
That’s up to a $75 savings.
Bonus #3: List of Progress Prompts
Valued at $67.
Bonus #4: A List of 101 Open Ended "Intervention Prompts"
Valued at $27.
Bonus #5: List of Client & Family Strengths
Valued at $27.
Bonus #6: Annual Membership Circle GOLDEN RING for $42/month
Valued at $1500+ for a year membership.
Enroll in your Misery or Mastery LIVE Webinar TODAY!
LIVE WEBINAR
$387.00Add to cart
ADD 6 CE CREDITS
$30.00Add to cart
REGISTRATION INSTRUCTIONS
- Payment: by credit or debit card online only.
- If you have purchased from Documentation Wizard previously, you'll be asked to enter your account information.
- During checkout you will enter your name and email to register for the training with Zoom.
- Email acknowledgments will be sent to confirm receipt of registration. If you don't see an email from support@documentationwizard.com or webmaster@documentationwizard.com, please check your junk mail.
- During checkout please be sure to check the box for our newsletter so you can receive the followup and reminder emails for the training.
- You'll also receive emails with reminders, how to access the Zoom webinar, and other important information needed for the training.
Yes, SIX (6) Continuing Education Credits are available to purchase with this LIVE Webinar.
Participants must attend 100% of the program to earn 6 CEs approved for eligible professions. Please click here for accreditation by profession and state. It is up to each professional to determine if they are eligible for CEs. IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO MAKE SURE OUR CE APPROVALS MEET THE QUALIFICATIONS OF YOUR STATE LICENSING BOARD.
The April LIVE Webinar offer a fabulous value, even if you can't join us all day on April 11. Not only will you have unlimited access to the recordings and bonuses for a year afterward, you will be able to take advantage of the TWO 1-hour Question and Answer Session in the coming weeks. The Q&As are an excellent way to get all your most pressing documentation questions answered by Beth.
You may watch the video recordings of the LIVE Webinar as many times as you need to watch them. Your access to them is for ONE YEAR. We do this because we want to make sure you have the latest training available. Laws change. Insurance company rules change. We want to help you stay up to date on your documentation.
The price of the LIVE Webinar Training does NOT include CEs. Because of the cost of CEs to us and because some clinicians take the course without needing them, the CEs are a SEPARATE purchase from the LIVE Webinar Training.
Payments for the LIVE Webinar can be made with most credit or debit cards. We do not offer PAYPAL, Venmo, check, or a payment plan.
No worries! We are here to help. Please send an email to support@documentationwizard.com. Describe in detail what issue you are experiencing (and send a screenshot if you can). We will do our best to quickly respond with the help you need.