In the spring of 2006, Professor of Psychology and psychopathy researcher, David Kosson, Ph.D., began to gather a group of volunteers to start an organization to provide help as well as education to those whose lives have been impacted by psychopathic individuals. He hoped the group would be a coalition of researchers, clinicians and survivors.
The group began after Robert Hare, Ph.D. posted a notice about the group on the Darkstone Research website. A number of people responded to the notice and began offering their time and energy to put the group together. It was quickly decided to try to form a website which would be a source of information about psychopathy and a place where victims/survivors of relationships with individuals with psychopathic features could come together to offer support for each other and ask questions about the nature of psychopathy and its impact on people. In the summer of 2007, Paul Babiak, Ph.D., the author of Snakes in Suits, joined the group. Dr. Hare, through the Darkstone Research Group and the Cheryl Wynne Hare Memorial Fund has generously supported our work.
From the beginning, Aftermath: Surviving Psychopathy has been dedicated to all seeking to understand this personality disorder and the toll it takes on those whose lives intersect with the affected. After many months of weekly conference calls and many email exchanges the website was launched in April of 2008. Our working group has grown larger as other researchers, therapists and survivors have joined.
We all share a common mission: To provide education that can be of benefit to both professionals and those who have been caught in the webs of deceit and control that distinguish psychopathic personalities. The study of psychopathy is a developing field, with areas of disagreement even among respected professionals. Our commitment is to provide factual information grounded in research along with links, resources and forums that we hope will be helpful to anyone recovering from relationships with individuals who manifest psychopathic traits. We believe that the best way to address the multiple issues (legal, emotional, financial, etc.) that arise from contact with a psychopathic personality is to provide credible and beneficial information while choosing to avoid the sensational.
If you have time and energy and you wish to become an Aftermath volunteer, please email Dr. Kosson.
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