The Ophelia Project is a national nonprofit organization founded and headquartered in Erie, Pennsylvania. Susan Wellman founded The Ophelia Project in 1997 with the assistance of a very dedicated team of friends and volunteers, who quickly became the organization's first board of directors.

In the beginning, we emerged as one community’s decision to increase social and emotional support for adolescent girls at the very time they are encouraged to separate from their families. We recognized that today’s youth face hazards their parents never knew.

Our development was inspired by the work of psychologist and author Dr. Mary Pipher, who detailed the struggles of girls growing up in today's society in "Reviving Ophelia: Saving the Selves of Adolescent Girls." This book became the catalyst for The Ophelia Project's formation. We began listening to girls to learn about the issues they faced and how they were trying to deal with them. Soon, we discovered that one primary issue kept surfacing at the root of many adolescent issues: dealing with and suffering from relational aggression.

As our research progressed, we found that there are no gender effects when it comes to relational aggression. Today's boys need our help just as much as today's girls. Our mission evolved over time to encompass both populations, and we are also branching out to explore the issue of covert aggression in the adult workplace.

Over the past nine years, our message of creating safe social climates has resonated with thousands of parents, educators, counselors and concerned community members across North America. By early 2004, the support from the Erie community and the intense demand for our services across the country led us to open a national office in Erie, Pennsylvania.

Today, we raise awareness about relational aggression, provide educational resources and original programs and advocate for healthy peer relationships.

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