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 348: can you sue someone for giving you herpes?
In this episode, we dive into the legal and emotional aspects of suing someone for knowingly transmitting herpes. Author Destiny Maria shares her personal journey from diagnosis to legal battle, discussing the impact of stigma, the importance of informed consent, and her growth as a new mother.
SPFPP 346: Herpes Support is the Foundation Toward a Cure
In Episode 346 of the SPFPP podcast, Lauren and I delve into the intricacies of herpes advocacy, highlighting both our challenges and triumphs. We discuss the societal tendency to value paid resources over free, volunteer-driven support, and how this affects our work. We also explore the necessary steps toward achieving a cure for herpes, emphasizing the importance of general acceptance and the reduction of stigma. Join us as we navigate these critical topics and learn more about the ongoing research for a herpes cure at www.spfpp.org/herpes-cure-research. Support our mission at www.spfpp.org/donate.
spfpp 345: I have herpes and you probably have it too
Sex educator Tara Ransleben (@TR_Sexuality) discusses the value of comprehensive sexual education versus abstinence-based education. She shares her personal experience with oral HSV 1, dealing with online trolls, and navigating stigma. Tara also explores the differences and benefits of in-person versus online advocacy, emphasizing the importance of accurate information to combat misinformation and stigma.
Episode 344: Beyond Herpes - On a Mission to tradition
Allie, founder of Beyond Herpes, joins Courtney to discuss their organizations' missions to empower those diagnosed with herpes. They explore the challenges of running small nonprofits, Allie's personal journey with genital HSV, and the differences in how men and women handle STI diagnoses. The conversation also delves into self-exploration, values, discipline, and alignment in both romantic and platonic relationships.
SPFPP 212: Raising the Standards
In this episode, Suzanne discusses how her herpes diagnosis led her to elevate her standards in relationships, embracing her self-worth while navigating the dating world. Learn how she combats stigma, advocates for sexual health, and highlights the importance of setting and maintaining high standards despite the challenges of living with herpes. This conversation underscores the critical connection between sexual health and mental health.
Episode 86: Dear Activists, Take Care of Yourselves
In this episode of Something Positive for Positive People, Ella Dawson discusses her powerful herpes activism, including her TEDx Talk, "STIs aren’t a consequence. They’re inevitable." We dive into the challenges and emotional labor of activism, and explore the stereotypes and erasure faced by bisexual individuals. Listen in for a candid conversation on self-care for activists.
Episode 31: Who Will Love Me?
In Episode 31 of SPFPP, Emily Depasse, a 25-year-old MSW/MEd Human Sexuality graduate student living with genital HSV-2, shares her journey from diagnosis to self-acceptance. Emily discusses her initial struggles, including turning to alcohol and unhealthy friendships, and emphasizes the importance of support and challenging the stigma surrounding herpes. Her story is a powerful testament to resilience and finding love and purpose despite a herpes diagnosis.
Episode 30: Rich Mancuso - Author of Asking for a Friend
In Episode 30 of SPFPP, 49-year-old Rich Mancuso, author of "Asking for a Friend," shares his journey with HSV-2, including participating in a clinical trial for a vaccine. Rich discusses his diagnosis, the impact of stress on outbreaks, and the importance of shedding light on herpes to reduce stigma. The episode also touches on the relationship between shame and testing new treatments in the US.