It is with great sadness that the Department announces the passing of William S. (“Bill”) Meyer, MSW, BCD. Bill served as Director of Training for Social Work and Associate Professor in the Departments of Psychiatry and Ob/Gyn at Duke University Medical Center. He practiced in Duke’s High-Risk Obstetrics clinic, mentoring residents and fellows, and taught and supervised social work interns and 3rd year psychiatry residents at Duke for over 30 years. With incredible compassion, kindness and expertise, Bill provided care to some of our most vulnerable patients, including women with postpartum depression and those experiencing miscarriage and pregnancy loss. He was an outstanding colleague and extraordinary caregiver who helped countless women and mentored hundreds of trainees during his long career.
Bill held faculty appointments at the Psychoanalytic Center of the Carolinas, the University of North Carolina and Smith College. He lectured and published numerous clinical papers on a variety of mental health topics and the experiences of women who have been faced with terminating wanted pregnancies due to serious, often life-threatening health concerns. He brought particular attention to the painful history of Psychiatry and the LGBT+ community. Through podcasts and other platforms, he shared his knowledge on topics such as postpartum depression and the role of psychotherapy, community and family, and where medications fit in the big picture.
Bill received many prestigious awards for his teaching and clinical work, including Social Worker of the Year from the NC Society of Clinical Social Work (1998), the Heart of Social Work Award from the North American Field Educators and Directors of the Council On Social Work Education (1999), the Edith Sabshin Teaching Award from the American Psychoanalytic Association (2004), the Day-Garrett Award by the Smith College School for Social Work (2010), and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Association for Psychoanalysis in Clinical Social Work (2011). No supervisor has had more interns from the UNC School of Social Work than Bill, according to the The Psychoanalytic Center of the Carolinas. The Center established The William S. Meyer Distinguished Teaching Award in his honor, recognizing Bill as an outstanding member of its faculty who conveys the heart of psychoanalysis with clarity and passion. He was the first recipient of the award.
Bill taught the introductory course in psychoanalysis through the Psychoanalytic Center of the Carolinas for more than 25 years. He was a past-President of the national American Association for Psychoanalysis in Clinical Social Work (AAPCSW) and founded the NC chapter of the AAPCSW. Through his collaborative leadership, three national AAPCSW conferences were held in Durham, NC. Bill was also a former President of the NC Society for Clinical Social Work and Secretary and Elected Distinguished Practitioner of the National Academies of Practice. He served on the editorial boards of Psychoanalytic Social Work and the Clinical Social Work Journal.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Psychoanalytic Center of the Carolinas, Postpartum Support International or bladder cancer research. A private ceremony was planned, and Bill’s family hopes to host a celebration of his life at a future time, details for which will be made available when possible.