Psychological Intake
An end-to-end encrypted confidential intake form for therapy and psychology practices — presenting concern, mental health history, medications and safety screening.
About this template
This template gives therapy and psychology practices a complete, sensitive first-session intake questionnaire. It captures the client's presenting concern, relevant mental health and medical history, current medications, support systems, and a brief safety screen. All submissions are encrypted end-to-end and accessible only to your practice.
What it collects
- Contact details and date of birth
- Presenting concern and treatment goals
- Previous therapy or psychiatric treatment
- Current medications and medical conditions relevant to mental health
- Social support and living situation
- Brief safety screening
- Consent to treatment and confidentiality acknowledgment
Strictly confidential and encrypted
Therapy records are among the most sensitive data in existence. They are special-category data under GDPR Article 9 and the Swiss nFADP. End-to-end encryption means the intake questionnaire is readable only by your practice — not the platform, not third parties.
How to use it
Use this template
Click 'Use template' to create a copy in your dashboard.
Adapt to your approach
Add assessment-specific questions for your modality (CBT, trauma-informed, systemic, etc.).
Send before the first session
Share the link when confirming the first appointment so you can review before meeting.
Why psychology practices need a secure digital intake form
A first-session intake questionnaire in therapy serves multiple purposes: it helps the therapist prepare, it frames the therapeutic alliance before the first meeting, and it gives the client agency to articulate their concerns in their own words without time pressure. Paper and email forms are inadequate for this data — therapy disclosures are some of the most sensitive personal information a person can share, and sending them over unencrypted channels is a significant privacy risk.
Digital encrypted intake also reduces session time spent on administrative questions and allows the therapist to focus the first conversation on what matters most — understanding the client's goals and beginning to build the therapeutic relationship.
What a psychological intake form should include
- Presenting concern — in the client's own words, without clinical framing
- Previous mental health treatment — therapy, psychiatry, hospitalisation
- Current medications — especially psychotropics, which directly affect treatment planning
- Medical conditions — chronic pain, neurological conditions, and other factors that interact with mental health
- Family and social context — living situation, primary relationships, support system
- Safety screening — current suicidal ideation or self-harm, handled sensitively and not as a checklist
- Consent acknowledgment — agreement to the therapy contract and confidentiality policy
Therapy data privacy — GDPR, nFADP and professional confidentiality
Psychotherapy records are subject to the highest level of data protection available. Under GDPR Article 9 and the Swiss nFADP, mental health data is explicitly listed as special-category data. Psychologists and therapists in Switzerland are also bound by professional confidentiality under Article 321 of the Swiss Criminal Code, which extends to intake questionnaires, session notes and all related records. End-to-end encryption is the only technical measure that prevents anyone — including the platform provider — from reading the content, which is the standard required for this category of data.
Paper intake vs encrypted digital intake for therapy
| Paper / email intake | Encrypted digital intake | |
|---|---|---|
| Client experience | Administrative, rushed | Reflective, at own pace |
| Data security | Physical loss, unencrypted email | End-to-end encrypted |
| Safety screening | Often missed or rushed | Structured, consistent |
| Compliance | Hard to demonstrate | Encrypted, timestamped record |
Common mistakes to avoid
- Sending intake questionnaires by unencrypted email — therapy disclosures are the most sensitive data you handle.
- Using safety screening as a checkbox rather than as a gateway to a clinical conversation.
- Not including a clear confidentiality statement and consent acknowledgment.
- Retaining intake forms indefinitely without a retention and deletion policy.
Frequently asked questions
Is this intake form suitable for trauma-informed practice?
Yes, with customisation. The template deliberately avoids clinical framing in the presenting-concern question to give the client agency. You can extend it with trauma-screening instruments relevant to your approach.
How should I handle a safety concern raised in the intake form?
If a client discloses active suicidal ideation in the intake form, contact them before the first session to assess risk and discuss appropriate next steps. Do not wait for the scheduled appointment.
Are intake responses accessible only to me?
Yes. All responses are encrypted in the client's browser before submission. Only your practice holds the decryption key — not Schweizerform, not email servers, not any third party.
For more context, see our use case for therapy and mental health practices, our guide to data privacy for therapists, and our comparison of encrypted form tools for confidential practice.