Courtney Brame
Founder
When I was diagnosed in 2013, I didn’t know how to process it—especially as a Black man trying to navigate my identity, sexuality, and shame without a roadmap. I turned to the internet, where I found some community, but I also found pain. The way herpes was talked about—or avoided altogether—didn’t reflect my experience. I saw people struggling deeply, even within support spaces. That disconnect is what pushed me to create the SPFPP podcast in 2017.
Initially, the goal was simple—tell real stories from real people. We often hear how common herpes is, but not how people live with it. I believe that’s why so many feel like their life is over after diagnosis. Our surveys show 36% of people experience suicidal thoughts after testing positive, and that’s why this work will always be personal for me.
SPFPP has grown into a full platform for support, education, and advocacy. I host the podcast, facilitate support groups, hold space for one-on-one peer support calls, provide yoga therapy sessions, and speak directly with our community to inform the statistics and data that represent us.
This is not just my job, it’s my purpose.
“Life is about what happens through you, not to you.”
I’m a 500-hour certified yoga teacher and am currently completing my yoga therapy certification with a specialization in supporting people through all aspects of herpes stigma. Yoga shapes everything I do—from how I listen, to how I help others regulate, reflect, and reconnect. I’m also the co-author of Fundamental Concepts and Critical Developments in Sex Education and regularly train professionals on how to speak about herpes with presence, compassion, and clarity. My mission is to help minimize stigma by shifting language, validating identity, and being a steady presence for those navigating this experience.