Most therapists write something after each session. It’s natural to wonder what, and who else might read it. Here’s what usually goes in, what doesn’t, who can see it, and your rights under Nigerian law.
Therapy notes record the basics of your care: why you came, your goals, what you worked on and any risk. Nigerian law makes them confidential, with narrow exceptions such as your consent or a court order, and you can ask to see them.
Why therapists write notes
Notes help your therapist remember where you left off, notice patterns over weeks, keep your treatment on track and act safely if things get worse. They’re also a professional record of the care you received.
What usually goes in
Practice varies, but most therapists’ notes cover:
- The basics: your name, contact details, session dates and length.
- Why you came and what you want from therapy.
- A plan: goals and the approach you’re using together.
- What each session covered, in summary, and any techniques or exercises used.
- How things are going: changes in mood, sleep, work or relationships.
- Risk: whether you’ve had thoughts of harming yourself or anyone else, and what was agreed to keep you safe.
- Referrals, for example to a psychiatrist or a doctor.
Notes are a summary, not a transcript. Good practice, and Nigerian data protection law, both say to record only what’s needed for your care.
What usually doesn’t
- Word-for-word accounts of everything you said.
- More detail than necessary about other people in your life.
- Judgements about your character.
- Anything that doesn’t serve your care.
If you’re worried about a particular detail being written down, say so. Your therapist can explain what they need to record and why.
On Mytherapist.ng
- Your therapist keeps their notes in the therapist app. They aren’t shown to you in your app.
- Sessions aren’t recorded. Video and voice sessions run live and aren’t recorded or transcribed.
- Your journal is yours. If you choose to share a journal entry with your therapist, they can read it. If you don’t, they can’t.
Our guide to whether online therapy is confidential covers the rest of the platform, and our privacy policy sets out how your data is handled.
Who can see your notes
Under Nigeria’s National Health Act, everything about your health status and treatment is confidential. It can be disclosed only:
- With your written consent.
- When a court orders it, or another law requires it.
- At the request of a parent or guardian, if you’re a minor.
- At the request of a guardian or representative, if you can’t consent yourself.
- When keeping it secret would be a serious threat to public health.
The National Mental Health Act adds that nothing stops a professional from taking reasonable steps to prevent serious harm to you or to someone else.
Two things surprise people:
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- There’s no therapist-client privilege in Nigerian courts. A court can order your records to be produced.
- Your employer has no right to see your notes, even if they pay for your therapy. Our piece on whether your employer will know you used therapy explains what employers do and don’t see.
Your rights
The Nigeria Data Protection Act treats health information as sensitive personal data. It gives you the right to:
- Find out what’s held about you, why, who receives it and how long it will be kept.
- Get a copy, without unreasonable delay, in a commonly used electronic format.
- Ask for corrections if something is inaccurate, out of date, incomplete or misleading.
- Ask for deletion, though health records can be kept where the law or professional duties require it.
- Complain to the Nigeria Data Protection Commission if a request isn’t handled properly.
The National Health Act also gives you a right to information about your own health status, with a narrow exception where there’s substantial evidence that telling you would be against your best interests.
How to ask to see your notes
- Ask your therapist, in a session or in writing. Say whether you want a copy, a summary or a conversation about what’s there.
- If you’d rather not ask directly, contact Mytherapist.ng support, who can pass your request on.
- If something is wrong, ask for it to be corrected, and say what should change.
Many people find that reading their notes together with their therapist is the most useful way to do it, because some clinical shorthand needs explaining.
Frequently asked questions
Can I see my therapy notes in Nigeria?
Yes. The Nigeria Data Protection Act gives you the right to find out what’s held about you and to get a copy without unreasonable delay. Ask your therapist, or the service you use.
Can my therapist share my notes with my family?
Not without your written consent, unless you’re a minor and a parent or guardian asks, or you can’t consent and a guardian or representative asks. A therapist may also act to prevent serious harm.
Can a court or the police get my therapy notes?
A court can order them. There’s no therapist-client privilege in Nigerian law, but disclosure otherwise needs your consent or another legal basis.
Are therapy sessions on Mytherapist.ng recorded?
No. Video and voice sessions run live and aren’t recorded or transcribed.
How long are therapy notes kept?
Nigerian law doesn’t set a fixed period. It says data mustn’t be kept longer than necessary, and the organisation must tell you how long it keeps your data, so ask.
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This article is awaiting clinical review. It’s based on published research and health guidelines, and we’ll update it once a clinician has reviewed it.
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