Recording sessions can support deeper clinical insight, supervision, and client progress, but it is also a sensitive area that requires care, transparency, and strong ethical grounding. Many clinicians feel some anxiety about bringing up recording with clients, which is completely valid.
This guide is here to support you with:
The ethical, legal, and clinical reasons for obtaining consent
How to introduce recording to clients
How to recognize and minimize potential ruptures
A therapist-friendly script you can use or adapt
Plus, we’ve included a little video to demonstrate how one of our clinical team members would navigate having the conversation with her clients.
Why Discussing Recording Matters
Clinical & Ethical Foundations
Recording impacts the relational field. As therapists, we are entrusted with our clients’ most vulnerable parts. Recording without explicit permission is a blatant break of that trust.
Therapeutic Alliance: Undisclosed or poorly explained recording can harm trust or lead to premature termination.
Psychological Safety: Clients need predictable boundaries to feel safe enough to do deep work.
Power Dynamics: Recording without consent exacerbates inherent hierarchy and can replicate past relational injuries.
Respect for Autonomy: Clients have a right to make informed decisions about how their information is used.
Transparency: Hidden recording erodes honesty and safety in the therapeutic relationship.
Legal Responsibilities
Recording adds new layers of legal responsibility beyond standard informed consent.
HIPAA Compliance: Recordings qualify as PHI and require specific, written consent.
State Laws: Some states mandate two-party consent for any recording. Always verify your local regulations.
When Consent Is Done Well, It Helps Clients
Thoughtful discussion of recording strengthens treatment by:
Promoting client agency
Modeling healthy boundary-setting
Creating space for questions and concerns
Establishing clear expectations
Reinforcing respect for the client’s rights and comfort
Can Requesting to Record Cause a Rupture?
Asking to record sessions is not inherently harmful, but it is a sensitive discussion. When handled thoughtfully, many clients appreciate the transparency. When handled abruptly or without context, it can create a rupture through misunderstanding or mistrust.
Potential Sources of Rupture
Privacy Concerns: Recording can heighten a client’s sense of exposure, especially those with trauma histories or difficulties trusting others.
Perceived Surveillance: Some clients may interpret recording as monitoring, judging, or “evaluating” them—particularly clients with paranoia, past institutionalization, or authority-based trauma.
Timing Issues: Bringing up recording mid-treatment may feel like a sudden boundary shift or “new rule,” which can destabilize or confuse clients.
Cultural Considerations: In some cultures, recording personal or relational material is discouraged or viewed as intrusive.
How to Reduce the Risk of Rupture
Be Transparent: Offer a clear clinical rationale while validating concerns.
Discuss Early When Possible: Ideally, introduce recording during initial informed consent, rather than surprising clients mid-treatment.
Reflect on Your Motivation: Ask yourself: Who is benefiting? Is there any value added for the client? If not, reconsider timing or necessity.
Respect “No” Fully: A client’s refusal should never be pressured, revisited in a coercive way, or treated as resistance.
Invite and Process Reactions: Hold space for feelings, questions, and hesitations.
Attend to Nonverbal Cues: A client may agree verbally but show discomfort physically. Lean into curiosity and slow down.
If a Rupture Occurs
Ruptures around recording are repairable, and can strengthen the therapeutic alliance when handled with care. This often involves:
Validating the client’s perspective
Acknowledging your part in any miscommunication
Exploring what recording symbolizes or evokes for this client
Adjusting the plan collaboratively
Clients often feel more seen and respected when a therapist welcomes honest dialogue about their discomfort.
How to Discuss Recording With Clients
Introducing recording should be thought of as a collaborative conversation, not a policy announcement. Below are key points to cover.
Key Talking Points
Purpose & Benefits: Why recording would be clinically helpful (supervision, accuracy, client ability to revisit insights, etc.)
Confidentiality & Security: How recordings will be stored, accessed, protected, and deleted.
Voluntary Participation: Emphasize repeatedly: decline without consequence, and consent can be withdrawn anytime.
Client Rights: Explain whether clients can view, request, or delete recordings.
Documenting consent
Clients must provide written consent before you begin recording sessions. Tenor makes this process simple with our digital consent workflow:
Send the consent form - Email your clients Tenor's professionally-crafted consent form directly from your Tenor home page
Receive client signature - When your client electronically signs the form, the completed PDF will be automatically sent to your email
Store in your system - Upload the PDF to your EHR to maintain proper documentation
For practices with specific requirements, you're welcome to customize our template form to suit your needs.
Note: Tenor does not store the signed consent form in our system, which protects client privacy and supports the use of pseudonyms in our platform.
Consent requirements
For valid recording consent documentation:
Obtain clear, written informed consent
Document the purpose, scope, and duration of recording
Outline storage, security, and deletion protocols
Include any limits to confidentiality
Specify that consent can be withdrawn at any time
Store consent securely in your EHR system
Sample Script (Therapist to Client)
The best version of this script is the one that is adapted to your own voice and therapeutic style.
Therapist:
“Before we start today, I’d like to check in about a new tool that could support our work. I’m implementing a new AI tool called Tenor Therapy. One of the features of this tool is it gives me the ability to record some of our sessions. Recording is completely optional, and there’s no pressure to decide right away. I want us to talk through it together.”
“My intention in this conversation is not to convince you one way or the other, but rather to paint the full picture for you so that you can make an informed decision.”
“The reason I’m considering this is [insert your specific purpose—reviewing our work, receiving supervision, helping you revisit insights, etc.]. We can explore whether this feels helpful or not for you.”
Pause, invite initial reactions.
Therapist:
“Whenever we talk about recording, it’s important to go slowly. Some people feel totally fine with it, and others feel unsure or vulnerable. Before I go any further, I want to understand how this is initially landing for you.”
Explore clients thoughts and feelings ”I want to explain a little bit about Tenor’s privacy and security, but if at any point you’re feeling lost or overwhelmed please let me know. Tenor is HIPAA-compliant, which means it meets national standards to protect medical records and personal health information (PHI). I’ve also chosen to utilize 2 additional security settings Tenor provides:
I will have Tenor automatically delete your personal health information (such as your name, age, etc.) meaning none of your personal information will be stored anywhere.
I have also chosen to have Tenor auto-delete ‘sensitive topics’ which can include things like criminal history, immigration status, sexual and gender identity, trauma, etc.”
Pause for reflection & questions
Therapist:
“Recordings are encrypted and stored securely in the U.S., as well as taking other precautions. If you’d ever like the full technical breakdown, I’m happy to send it over to you.”
“Most importantly: this is entirely your choice. Saying no will not affect your treatment in any way. If you decide to agree, I also want you to know that you can change your mind at any point, even mid-session.”
“How does this feel for you so far? What thoughts or concerns are coming up? I want to make sure you feel informed, comfortable, and supported.”
Our team is here to support you, if you have any additional questions you can book a call with our clinical team.