About Us
Twenty-Six Years of Reading, Thinking, and Growing Together
Founded in 1999, GRASP has become one of South Africa's longest-running independent psychoanalytic reading communities. For more than two decades, it has provided clinicians with a place to explore psychoanalytic thinking through sustained reading, thoughtful discussion and genuine professional community.
What began as a small group of colleagues gathering around primary texts has grown into a network of clinicians connected by a shared belief: that learning happens best through curiosity, conversation and the careful exchange of ideas.
Why GRASP Was Founded
GRASP was founded in 1999 by the late Coralie Trotter, a Johannesburg Clinical Psychologist and Psychoanalyst who recognised the need for a different kind of learning community.
At the time, many clinicians wanted opportunities to engage more deeply with psychoanalytic theory beyond formal university programmes and training institutes.
Coralie imagined a space where colleagues could come together regularly to read original psychoanalytic texts, think collaboratively, and remain intellectually engaged throughout their professional lives.
From the beginning, GRASP was intentionally independent. Rather than following a prescribed curriculum or focusing on assessment, the emphasis was placed on shared enquiry, careful reading, and open discussion.
Although the community has grown considerably over the past twenty-six years, these founding principles continue to shape every reading group today.
Intellectual Curiosity
Collegial Learning
Clinical Relevance
Long-Term Community
Reading Groups Without Superego
One phrase has come to define the culture of GRASP: "Reading Groups Without Superego."
It captures the belief that meaningful learning does not emerge through competition, hierarchy or the pressure to perform. Instead, it grows through curiosity, generosity and the shared desire to think more deeply.
There are no formal presentations to prepare, no examinations to pass and no expectation that members arrive with all the answers. The reading groups are designed to be spaces where questions are welcomed, uncertainty can be explored and ideas develop over time.
Inspired by Steve Biko's I Write What I Like, GRASP has always embraced the principle of "We read what we want to read." Reading lists are carefully curated around ideas that matter to clinicians, encouraging members to engage with psychoanalysis because they are genuinely interested—not because they are required to.
This ethos has remained at the heart of GRASP since its founding and continues to shape the experience of every member today.
Continuing the Vision...
Michael Benn
Today, GRASP is chaired and convened by Michael Benn, a Clinical Psychologist and IPA-registered Psychoanalyst with more than thirty years of clinical experience.
Having been part of the community since its early years, Michael continues the vision established by Coralie Trotter while guiding GRASP into a new generation of psychoanalytic learning.
He facilitates the reading groups, curates educational programmes, welcomes new members and helps foster the thoughtful, intellectually generous culture that has become synonymous with GRASP.
Alongside his work with GRASP, Michael is the founder of Psychoanalytic Thinking, a global educational platform that connects more than 250,000 people through psychoanalytic discussion, interviews, educational content and public events.
Together, these initiatives reflect a shared commitment to making psychoanalytic thinking accessible, relevant and alive within contemporary clinical practice.
...Part of a Broader Psychoanalytic Community
GRASP forms the clinical heart of a wider ecosystem dedicated to advancing psychoanalytic thinking.
While GRASP provides an intimate learning community for practising clinicians, Psychoanalytic Thinking extends these conversations to a broader international audience through educational content, interviews, films, public discussions and digital platforms.
Members benefit not only from their monthly reading groups, but also from access to an active global community exploring psychoanalytic ideas across clinical practice, culture, literature, philosophy, film and society.
Together, the two platforms create opportunities for both deep professional study and broader intellectual engagement, connecting clinicians in South Africa with contemporary psychoanalytic conversations taking place around the world.
A Community That Continues to Grow.
More than two decades after its founding, GRASP remains committed to the same principles that inspired its creation: careful reading, thoughtful discussion and the belief that psychoanalytic thinking is best developed in conversation with others.
Today, the community includes ten facilitated reading groups comprising approximately 140 practising clinicians who meet throughout the year in Johannesburg and online. Members range from newly qualified psychologists and clinicians-in-training to experienced practitioners who have remained part of GRASP for many years.
As the community continues to evolve, its purpose remains unchanged: to create a place where clinicians can keep reading, keep thinking and continue developing alongside colleagues who share a genuine commitment to psychoanalytic enquiry.
"Psychoanalysis is not simply something we study - it is a way of thinking that continues to unfold through conversation, reflection and shared curiosity."
Continue the Conversation
Whether you're taking your first steps into psychoanalytic thinking or have spent years in clinical practice...
GRASP offers a place to continue learning alongside colleagues who value thoughtful discussion, intellectual curiosity and the slow development of clinical understanding.
If you'd like to explore joining a reading group, attending a workshop or simply learning more about the community, we'd be delighted to hear from you.
Join the Waitlist Today and Be the First to Know When A Spot Opens Up
Michael Benn is a Clinical Psychologist and IPA-registered Psychoanalyst in private practice in Johannesburg. He is the Chair and Convener of GRASP and the founder of the Psychoanalytic Thinking digital community.
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