Michal Inspektor, MSW ’04, Psychotherapist (LICSW)
Current job description:
I specialize in psychoanalytically informed psychodynamic therapy and divide my professional time between private practice and the outpatient psychiatry clinic at Harborview Medical Center. I supervise and mentor psychiatry residents and a variety of mental health practitioners. I also teach in the adult psychotherapy program at the Seattle Psychoanalytic Society and Institute. My other passion is utilizing my skills to combat the rise in antisemitism and foster healing and resilience within the Jewish community.
Home:
Seattle, WA though I may have left my heart in Pittsburgh :)
My inspiration and Professional Accomplishment are intertwined:
In a nutshell, I like people! I feel lucky to get to sit with another person for 50 uninterrupted minutes and listen. Every patient leads rich, complex, heartening inner and outer lives and I get to compassionately share their curiosity about it. Due to the type of long-term therapy I practice, I witness patients' joys, pains, and growth over the course of years. I often get to read the next chapter in their story and cherish it.
How did Pitt MSW help my career:
That's an easy one! I was initially hired as a medical social worker in 2005. Years later I was chatting with the supervisor who hired me. She said that as soon as she saw Pitt on my resume, she offered me an interview! It's been 20 years since and I still proudly work at the same hospital that took a chance on me and Pitt.
Significant thing I learned from Pitt MSW:
I didn't fully realize how good my clinical training was until I started reflecting on my educational background with other colleagues and supervising newer social workers. Pitt introduced me to therapies grounded in insight and depth which I continue to build on. I don't take that for granted.
What motivated me to pursue an MSW at Pitt:
The versatility of the degree, Pitt's strong reputation, and there were less assigned research articles to read than in the Psych PhD programs ;)
Rely on the network today:
Living in Seattle, I feel like I am the entire Pitt SSW Alumni program! That's why I decided to get more involved with the Pitt SW community from afar and offer my mentorship and professional support to current students.
Favorite Memory:
Any memory having to do with the lifelong friendships I formed. These relationships strengthened with every study session, venting session, and practicum-based challenges we faced when navigating intricate systems and vulnerable populations. We withstood a lot together and those are the memories that stick the longest.
Advice for students and/or young SSW alumni:
Pace yourself, take it in, let the learning wash over you while attuning to what stands out and drives you, be good to yourself and look out for others, and remember: it's not on you to fix it all.