SPFPP 391: Who Helps the Helper?

I speak with a DBT therapist living with HSV-2 about what it’s like to navigate a herpes diagnosis from both the professional and personal lens. Our guest shares her dreadful experience of misdiagnosis and dismissal by multiple medical providers, despite experiencing the rare neurological complication known as Elsberg Syndrome which is a condition involving lower back nerve inflammation, urinary retention, and limb numbness, often associated with HSV-2.

What makes this story even more impactful is her perspective as a mental health professional. She discusses how her training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy helped her stay grounded and challenge misinformation even when a doctor falsely told her that herpes couldn’t be transmitted without visible symptoms.

Together we explore:

• The emotional reality of being a “helper” in a moment of personal health crisis

• How DBT principles can support people with herpes

• The tension between being a professional and a person seeking support

• Why accurate information and validation from providers matter deeply for people with herpes

• How asking for help effectively is a skill we all need, whether we're the therapist or the client

We also discuss what it means to embody integrity in a world that often gives people an “out” from having to disclose or confront stigma and how that inner alignment is a form of healing in itself. This episode offers a bridge between sexual health, mental health, and identity reclamation. It’s a must-listen for therapists, newly diagnosed individuals, and anyone seeking emotional grounding among a stigmatized diagnosis.