Welcome to
Something positive for positive people
the best herpes Podcast
The SPFPP Podcast: Real Stories. Real Support.
Since 2017, the Something Positive for Positive People podcast has been a free resource for anyone navigating the emotional, relational, and social impacts of a herpes diagnosis.
Through honest conversations, guests share what life really looks like after testing positive—how they date, disclose, manage shame, and build meaningful relationships. You’ll hear experiences that reflect your own or reveal new possibilities for moving forward.
What You’ll Hear:
Dating with Herpes
From casual sex to long-term commitment, guests share how they communicate their status and build relationships that work for them.Stigma & Identity
How people reclaim their sense of self after diagnosis and rebuild confidence on their own terms.Sexual Health Conversations
Tools for navigating safer sex, honest communication, and deeper relational alignment.Alternative Relationship Styles
Insights on non-monogamy, queerness, and connecting beyond traditional relationship norms.Emotional Healing
Stories of grief, growth, and self-acceptance. Often, herpes is the distraction—not the root. These episodes explore the deeper patterns that diagnosis brings to light.
If you’re ready to share your experience (anonymously if you’d like), please fill out the podcast guest intake form below and we’ll reach out to interview you!
Looking for something in particular?
Type a question or keywords you’re curious about below.
SPFPP 387: Herpes Support and Education Platform
I walk through the changes of the website for those who are new here looking for support resources and maybe don’t know what they need.
SPFPP 386: Help!
This community historically ran off the engagement of Instagram, and now Instagram is not helping us anymore at all, so now I’m calling in favors from the community to help us get podcast Guests, opportunities, grants, donations, and speaking engagements.
SPFPP 385: In the Thick of it
It’s important to remember why we started this podcast in the first place. People with herpes having suicide Ideation.
SPFPP 384: Can You Be Nonmonogamous if You Have Herpes?
The short answer is yes, you can be Nonmonogamous and have herpes.
SPFPP 383: My Story
“Herpes was a physical presentation where I was most identified, my genitals, when all my nervous system’s other attempts to contact me failed”.
SPFPP 382: Closed Mouths Don’t Get Fed with Goddess Bats
Closed mouths don’t get fed—and when it comes to herpes, rejection, and sex, silence only makes the stigma louder. In this episode, Goddess Bats and I get curious about everything from disclosing at sex parties to why rejection happens differently from men versus women.
SPFPP 381: Herpes and Bipolar - Stigma on Stigma
Sexual health is mental health. Join us as we talk the intersections of HSV, HPV, and Bipolar.
SPFPP 380: Transmuting Stigma Into Healing - Lessons from Depression
I’m letting go in this one ya’ll. I’ve been clinging tight to things that I’ve not wanted anyone to see, and I recognize what makes SPFPP what it is is my ability to be present. I can’t do that if I’m holding on to insecurities, fear, and trying to maintain some sense of control over this perception of me that is really just me hiding. This one is long but necessary.
SPFPP 379: Dating with Herpes - Should you Only Date People with the Same Type?
“Should I only date someone with the same type of herpes?” It’s a common question—often rooted in fear, protection, and the desire for connection. In this episode, Jhivan shares what it’s been like navigating dating, sex, and stigma just three months after their diagnosis. They speak openly about identity, sexual confidence, cultural attitudes, and the decision to withhold intimacy until better understanding their body. If you’re navigating herpes and wondering how to feel like yourself again—especially in dating—this conversation is for you.
SPFPP 378: Declaration of Remembrance
I didn’t choose this pause—life sat me down. After everything fell apart, I had no choice but to do nothing. And in that stillness, I heard something that changed everything: remember who you are.
SPFPP 377: Shades of Nonmonogamy
"Everything can be a spiritual experience for me… but it’s hard to just be with it. To not label it or control how it’s received. This episode is me choosing to show up messy—and trusting that’s enough."
SPFPP 376: I don’t Miss My Ex - The Stigma of Breakups
“I don’t miss my ex. I miss my homie.”
SPFPP 375: Queering Masculinity - From Performance to Presence
“So much of masculinity is about what you do. But queerness has taught me how to just be—and to be seen. I’ve found more of myself in queer spaces than I ever did performing manhood in the ones I was told I belonged to.”
SPFPP 374: Storytelling for Stigma Minimization - Live from STI Engage 2025
Six years after first presenting the idea of podcasting as psychosocial support for people with herpes, SPFPP returns to STI Engage—this time with a community behind the mic. Recorded live in Phoenix, this episode features a guided meditation on stigma, a real-time support cycle, and reflections on how storytelling became a tool for identity validation and connection.
SPFPP 373: Something Smooth about an Orbit
"The tornado stripped everything away—my home, my sense of stability—and it gave me space. Space to see where I wasn’t in alignment. Space to remember that I’m not here to play it safe. I’m here to orbit my purpose, to hold presence, and to empower people navigating stigma with choice. That’s why I’m moving to New York. Not because it’s easy—but because it’s where my highest self told me to go."
SPFPP 372: Shaking the Dust Off
"I’m realizing how much stigma we carry without even knowing it. Like, you say 'homeless,' and people have this picture in their head—but here I am, in this car, no home, no room, just moving from place to place. It’s humbling, and it’s also a reminder of how fast life can shift. Amber’s story too—how she navigates being an educated Black woman in spaces that don’t always feel safe or welcoming... It’s like we’re both just holding presence for each other while we name these stigmas out loud."
SPFPP 371: Presence Over Performance
Astrologer and metaphysical practitioner Tasha Beg joins Courtney Brame for a deep dialogue on ego death, spiritual rebirth, and the power of presence. With stories of identity unraveling and cosmic reflections on shame, this episode invites us to stop performing and come home to who we already are.
SPFPP 370: The Spiritual Significance of Stigma Through an Atomic Lens
This episode is my spiritual coming out—on my terms. I finally language the cosmic structure that guides how I live, heal, and support others through stigma. I’m not chasing impact. I’m embodying rhythm. And for the first time, I feel my own gravity.
This is the Living Like an Atom episode. If you’ve ever felt lost, labeled, or judged for your desires or your diagnosis—this one's for you.
Remember your proton.
SPFPP 369 Season 1 Finale: Letting Go of the Herpes and Other Things
This episode closes out Season 1 of the SPFPP podcast, ending our exclusive focus on herpes stigma and stepping into something broader: positivity. I reflect on what I’ve learned from nearly 400 episodes, how grief and growth are intertwined, and what comes next as SPFPP shifts into embracing emotional wellness and stigma reduction more fully.
SPFPP 368: The Eulogy of Ego
In Episode 368 of Something Positive for Positive People, Courtney shares a vulnerable reflection on grief, relationships, and the ego. Through the lens of his recent breakup, he explores the tension between safety and freedom, emotional expression, and reclaiming playfulness. This is not about herpes—this is about healing, identity, and becoming whole.