Transforming Trauma: Episode 056

In this episode of Transforming Trauma, our guest is Althea Simpson, the founder of Brighter Day Therapeutic Solutions, Unicorn Life Training and the Black Play Therapy Society. Althea is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker specializing in Trauma Recovery, a Registered Play Therapist, and a Certified Lego Serious Play Facilitator. Her approach to treatment is tailored to the unique needs of her clients and she brings a range of educational, professional, and life experiences to her work as a therapist, clinical supervisor, and mental health consultant.

Althea shares that she would like for listeners to learn that play therapy is not just for children, but that it is a trauma-informed treatment. Originally she planned to go into social work to work on the macro, systemic level, and her social work internship experience at a community mental health organization in DC opened her eyes to trauma. She realized the profound impacts of trauma on families and children and decided to focus her career path on helping support the kids and adolescents that were impacted by complex trauma.

Althea was drawn to play therapy early in her career, which is a therapeutic modality that supports clients to express themselves in ways other than just verbal communication. She discusses a play therapy intervention that is aligned with NARM, which is using inquiry in the play therapy process. “It’s not for us [as therapists] to give meaning to [the client’s experience], that’s for the client,” she says. Similar to the NARM approach, Althea invites curiosity which supports clients to connect more deeply to themselves.

While Althea relies on play therapy as her main clinical focus, she acknowledges the central importance of the therapeutic relationship with clients. “Real therapeutic change isn’t possible if the client doesn’t have a real connection with you.”

Althea reflects on the importance of deconstructing the stigma around mental health with black families. She shares, “I’ve been doing a lot of work in healing the black child, and black communities have undeniably unique needs around mental health and trauma.” Althea explains that many black families believe that the answer to their mental health problems is through church. She challenges this notion through addressing the intersectionality of spirituality, religion, and mental health. She also started the Black Play Therapy Society to address the disparities for black therapists not being able to showcase their work, as well as the inconsistencies and information that was being talked about in the black communities.

Althea details many important aspects that therapists need to understand in order to work with black families. She states, “We need more black therapists.” She also asks an important question for non-black therapists who are working with black families, which is, “Are black clients allowed to show up in their authentic self with all their pain, and can they express what they need to express?”

Althea acknowledges that utilizing play therapy helped her to also address her own healing. “I don’t think that we should have clients go where we’re not willing to,” Althea states. Althea’s lived experiences of trauma, as well as healing from her trauma, has supported her in her capacity to help her clients. She explains, “I’m a great therapist because I understand [the work] both personally and professionally.”

Althea bio: Althea is the founder of Brighter Day Therapeutic Solutions and Unicorn Life Training. She is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker specialized in trauma recovery, Registered Play Therapist-Supervisor, and Certified LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® Facilitator. She has an active psychotherapy private practice in Northern, VA and has experience treating children, adolescents, and adults with diverse backgrounds and ranges of concerns, including anger, substance use/abuse, domestic violence, anxiety, and depression. Her approach to treatment is tailored to the unique needs of her clients and she brings a range of educational, professional and life experiences to her work as a therapist, clinical supervisor, and mental health consultant.