Welcome to the SPFPP
Stigma Minimization Podcast
Storytelling, Stigma Healing, and Presence Practice
Since 2017, Something Positive for Positive People has used storytelling to help people feel less alone in the emotional weight of stigma. What began as a herpes support podcast is now a space where anyone navigating identity-based stigma—around mental health, sexuality, race, relationships, or simply being human—can come to feel seen.
If you’ve ever felt disqualified from connection because of how the world responds to who you are, this podcast is for you.
We don’t give quick fixes. We hold space. Every episode is a reminder that your existence is not a problem to solve—but a presence to be witnessed.
What You’ll Hear:
Real Stories: People share what it’s like to live, date, and love while navigating stigma.
Identity and Presence: We explore how presence helps people reclaim their identity beyond what the world expects.
Practical Tools: Guidance for disclosure, emotional regulation, and navigating relationships in ways that honor your truth.
Guest Conversations: We bring in experts and everyday people to talk about healing through herpes, heartbreak, queerness, shame, spirituality, sex, masculinity, and more.
Yoga-Informed Insights: Reflections on how the koshas (layers of being), nervous system regulation, and atomic alignment show up in the healing process.
Why This Podcast Still Supports People with Herpes
Herpes might’ve been what brought you here—but stigma probably isn’t new to you. Whether it’s been around your sexuality, mental health, masculinity, queerness, race, or just feeling like you don’t fit, stigma tends to stack.
This podcast still holds space for people navigating herpes. We’ve got hundreds of episodes about disclosure, dating, and identity. But over time, it became clear—herpes stigma is often the doorway to deeper healing.
If you’re here for herpes support, you’re in the right place. And if you’re starting to realize there’s more beneath the surface, you’re still in the right place.
We’re here to help you live with stigma—but not be defined by it.
Use the Search Bar
Looking for something specific? Use keywords like “herpes disclosure,” “dating,” “mental health,” or “nonmonogamy” to pull up relevant episodes.
Want More Support?
Explore our Herpes Support Call and Stigma Support Call offerings, or check out our Yoga Therapy offerings for more presence-based care.
Stay Connected
Join our newsletter below to hear about new podcast episodes, virtual events, support groups, and meetups.
SPFPP 353: Something Pleasure Positive for Vanilla People
Sol opens up about how growing up in a religious household and navigating herpes stigma led her to vanilla, one-sided sex experiences. This episode uncovers how stepping into the sex-positive community transformed her relationship with consent and pleasure, and how these lessons are relevant for anyone curious about exploring new ways to connect sexually.
SPFPP 324: Overcoming Herpes Stigma in the Black Community
In "Overcoming Herpes Stigma in the Black Community," Belize Spivey sheds light on the unique challenges faced within the community. This episode delves into the roots of stigma, its impact on relationships, and how education and communication can dismantle misconceptions, offering a powerful narrative of empowerment and change. Join us to gain a deeper understanding and to support the journey toward a stigma-free dialogue in the Black community.
SPFPP Episode 190: Identity Validation is Suicide Prevention - Stigma in Blackness
In Episode 190 of the SPFPP Podcast, we delve into the intersection of overlapping identities and their impact on trauma and stigma, with a focus on the Black and LGBTQIA+ communities. Leigh, an intersex black trans woman and primary health care provider, shares her experiences since 2019, offering a unique perspective on the challenges faced by those with multiple marginalized identities. Learn how identity validation is vital for suicide prevention and mental health support.
SPFPP Episode 171: Black Minds Matter Part 1
In Part 1 of this two-part SPFPP episode, 27-year-old Bliss, a Black woman, shares her experience being diagnosed with trichomoniasis and herpes simplex virus type 1 while in a relationship. She initially thought she only had oral herpes due to unclear language from her healthcare provider. We also touch on her mental health struggles, including battling depression and suicidal ideation.
Episode 49: Overcoming - Herpes Support Group for Women
This episode features a recording of an online Black women's Herpes support group led by Belize Spivey, who inspires women to overcome life's obstacles, including living with herpes. The group discusses topics from Belize's book, "Overcoming What Can't be Cured: Living Beyond Herpes."