​Words Matter: Strengths-Based Documentation for Human Service Professionals
Presenter: Cynthia Gee, Psy.D.
Date: Wednesday, October 14, 2026
Time: 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM (EST)
Format: Live Interactive Webinar via Zoom
Cost: $39 (Includes 2.0 Contact Hours of Continuing Education Credits - NY Social Workers, LMHCs, LCATs, LMFTs, NBCC, OASAS)
The target audience is open to all human service professionals, with a focus on entry-level staff. The training will include case examples and opportunities for participants to practice rewriting documentation in real time.

​***CLICK HERE FOR THE ONLINE REGISTRATION FORM***

The words we use in documentation matter. In human service and behavioral health settings, professionals are required to document challenges, risks, and areas of concern. However, the way this information is written can impact how individuals are perceived and how clearly information is communicated to others.

This training focuses on how to document concerns in a professional, objective, and respectful way. Participants will learn how to move away from language that is absolute, vague, or judgmental and instead use clear, specific, and behavior-based descriptions.

Using real-world examples, participants will practice rewriting common documentation statements. For example, changing statements such as "Client lies” to more accurate and objective language such as “Parent reports client has been dishonest about their whereabouts approximately two times per week.”

The goal of this training is not to remove important clinical information, but to strengthen how it is written so that documentation remains clear, professional, and appropriate for clinical, legal, and insurance purposes.

​Learning Objectives: 
  • Identify words and phrases in documentation that are vague, absolute, or judgment-based.
  • Describe the difference between opinion-based statements and objective, behavior-based documentation.
  • Rewrite documentation to include specific, observable, and measurable information.
  • Demonstrate the use of professional and objective language when documenting client behaviors and concerns.
  • Apply strategies to ensure documentation is professional, clear, and appropriate for clinical and regulatory review.