Sandra’s Bio

Sandra L. Brown, M.A., is the founder of The Institute for Relational Harm Reduction & Public Pathology Education.  She is a former psychotherapist in the field of psychopathology, and a community educator on the intersections of Mental Illness, Personality Disorders, Violence, and Recidivism.  She is a clinical lecturer and trainer, TV and radio guest, and an author. Her books include the highly popular How to Spot a Dangerous Man Before You Get Involved, the award winning Women Who Love Psychopaths: Inside the Relationships of Inevitable Harm With Psychopaths, Sociopaths & Narcissists, as well as the clinically relevant Counseling Victims of Violence: A Handbook for Helping Professionals. How to Spot a Dangerous Man has been translated into numerous foreign languages worldwide.

Sandra is recognized for her pioneering work in women’s issues related to relational harm from dangerous and pathological partners.  She specializes in the development of Pathological Love Relationship training for professionals and the development of survivor-based support services. The Institute provides the only formal clinical Model-of-Care approach for survivors and offers the largest available array of products and services related to this population.  Her books, CDs, DVDs, and other training materials have been distributed in almost every country of the world, and used as curriculum in drug rehabs, women’s organizations and shelters, women’s jail and prison programs, school and college-based programs, inner city projects, psychology and sociology programs.

Sandra is most noted for being the first to research the effects of psychopathy on female partners. This research has ignited interest in mental health professionals obtaining training for this new and emerging genre of clientele. Her research has largely impacted the treatment field through her systematic approaches to recovery for women. Her most recent research was in collaboration with Purdue University with results to be published in the near future.

Her research in the field has been presented at the Ruth Ginsberg Lecture Series’ Women and The Law on Domestic Violence’, End Violence Against Women International, the Society for the Scientific Study of Psychopathy, the US Army Family Advocate Training, San Diego Psychology Association’s Staying Ahead of the Curve in Domestic Violence Training, and the State of Georgia Commission on Family Violence during which her unique focus on Pathological Love Relationships has been featured. She is currently a writer for several large women’s websites, Psychology Today, Times Up! Blog, and The Institute’s online magazine www.saferelationshipsmagazine.com.

She is a frequently interviewed radio and TV personality on the topics of dangerous relationships, high lethality cases and psychopathy. She has been on over 100 radio shows including NPR and has appeared on more than 50 TV shows including Anderson Cooper.  She hosts a weekly radio show, Relational Harm Reduction Radio, that is focused on the topics of The Institute’s message, services, and books. She has also been featured in numerous documentaries about psychopaths and anti-social personalities and their effect on partners and children.  Her most recent documentary, The Psychopath Next Door, aired with the Canadian Broadcast Corporation with emeritus professor and the world’s leading expert on psychopathy, Dr. Robert Hare (author of Without Conscience).