David Simpson, PhD, MSSA, LCSW

 

 

David Simpson earned his PhD in Social Work at the Jane Addams College of Social Work at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) and his Master of Science in Social Administration from Case Western Reserve University. He previously taught at Pacific Lutheran University (PLU) (2016 – 2022) and served as an Adjunct Professor at UIC. From 2011 to 2016, he was an Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Social Work at UIC’s Institute for Juvenile Research and the Department of Psychiatry.

Dr. Simpson is currently a faculty member in Sandler School of Social Work at Florida Atlantic University, where he teaches courses on social work practice and the profession of social work. His teaching is influenced by extensive clinical experience using Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy to treat individuals across the lifespan, particularly those with anxiety disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).

His research focuses on understanding the effect of coping strategies, mainly among youth and mental health professionals. He also supports youth in learning how to apply trauma-informed care strategies in clinical settings. Dr. Simpson is a co-investigator for the Broward Upward Potential (BrowardUP) initiative, which addresses the needs of youth and families throughout Broward County.