Several social media pages offer support to people diagnosed with herpes, providing tips on disclosure, confidence through self-acceptance, and examples of living a fulfilling life post-diagnosis. This journey often begins with a quest for education—understanding what went wrong and realizing our sex education failed us. Jess shares how the best resources come from the herpes community, while the worst often come from healthcare providers. We discuss the prevalence of stigma, the failure of sex education, and the importance of therapy. Plus, we answer live questions from IG followers.

In this solo episode, I share a profound healing experience sparked in therapy, addressing unconscious behaviors I hadn't previously considered. I introduce the new "Something Positive FROM Positive People" blog, featuring community insights that can benefit everyone. I also discuss recent boundary challenges I've faced and how I'm handling them. Despite thinking I only had 30 minutes to share, I ended up talking for an hour—proof that you all enjoy these solo episodes! I'll be recording more solo episodes whenever I have schedule cancellations. Let me know your thoughts!

In this episode, we delve into how abuse manifests in various forms, from physical to emotional and mental. Reflecting on the increased awareness of abuse, we recognize how herpes can be weaponized by abusers to control their partners. We explore how the lack of comprehensive sex education contributes to the perpetuation of abuse by neglecting mental health fundamentals such as consent, body autonomy, and boundary setting.

Introducing "The Connection 4mula," a framework to identify potential abusers through four key relationship boundaries: transparency, consistency, maturity, and reciprocity. These pillars help filter out abusive patterns and ensure genuine connections based on mutual respect and love.

Comedian Hanna Dickinson joins us to discuss her experience with genital herpes and how she navigates the stigma through humor. She shares candid insights on rejection, both personal and professional, and how it has shaped her approach to comedy. This episode dives into the delicate balance of using herpes in comedy and the impact of humor on destigmatizing the virus. Hanna’s authentic storytelling offers a refreshing perspective on managing herpes with resilience and laughter.

The title speaks for itself. After many interactions with people living with HSV and attending in-person social groups, it's evident that there's a significant willingness to heal within the community. The major difference lies in the risk-reward tolerance between those who confide in someone already open about their status and those who immerse themselves in the community for support. This episode highlights the profound connections made over shared experiences, challenging the CDC's stance on herpes testing.

Dee was diagnosed with herpes 5 years ago, two weeks after her then-boyfriend, now husband, had his first symptoms. We don't often hear stories about couples navigating their relationship after a positive herpes diagnosis in a committed relationship. This untold story is unique but not uncommon. Many people's initial struggles with their diagnosis revolve around finding a partner. However, this story is different as the relationship was established before the diagnosis.

Introducing Disclosure Fatigue - a series

After ending a long-term relationship with her first sexual partner, our guest, like many others, wanted to explore and see what else was out there that she might have missed. Soon after, while "playing catch up," she received her genital HSV diagnosis.

We discuss her behavior change after her diagnosis, particularly her heightened awareness of a partner's apprehension toward her regarding sex.

I want to start leaving listeners with questions to challenge their perspectives. Our guest shares that she was more concerned with how men would view her, as her identity was deeply intertwined with receiving validation from sexual partners.

Ask yourself: If you were to share your positive status or disclose something publicly about yourself that no one knew, what outcome would you hope for and why? How do you deal with partners' apprehension, whether verbal or nonverbal, towards you when it comes to sex after you've disclosed?

22-year-old Brenna shares her "boring ass herpes story," which turned out to be quite inspirational for young women navigating a positive herpes diagnosis. Surviving Catholic school sex education, sexual assault, emotionally abusive relationships, shaving her head, and cutting, Brenna found her voice and learned she's actually a bad bitch.

We discuss the importance of integrating post-diagnosis support resources with STD prevention efforts, including mental health resources to support people in or recovering from abusive relationships. As several past podcast guests have shared, a positive STI diagnosis significantly impacts mental health and self-image. It's time to bring this conversation to light for change to be made.

I mentioned having chlamydia and reinfecting myself. Yup, Mr. HOnMyChest HIMSELF not only has an STI but then contracted another STI, AND THEN reinfected himself. What the Eff right? I’m at a good place to chat about this and have been for a long time now surprisingly, considering I am going to be on that annual report of chlamydia cases TWICE, and it could’ve all been prevented had I just gone to a testing facility that was comfortable discussing sexual health. But what would’ve happened had I been diagnosed with something else? What if I had tested positive for HIV? That question gets answered in this podcast episode as well. But here you get a feel for the difference between an organization that specializes in treating sexual health-related issues versus a general medical practitioner.

If you've ever just BEEN with someone (emphasis on BEEN), you experience a sense of peace and freedom that comes with not having to modify your behavior around them. Conversely, being WITH someone (emphasis on WITH) may involve resisting your natural state. I discuss my experiences of both, especially during my COVID isolation, where I learned to BE with myself without the distractions of daily life. This episode highlights how my herpes diagnosis and therapy have shaped my understanding of these dynamics.

Liz and I have been missing each other for this interview since she first learned she was pregnant. It took a pandemic and me getting COVID to finally catch up. We discuss dating while pregnant with HSV, leaving her 5-year relationship, and living her best life. Liz shares her experience of contracting herpes from someone she liked the most and offers useful tips for navigating depression. We explore how younger generations handle their HSV diagnosis with confidence and access to resources.

Dave shares his experience being diagnosed with genital HSV2 9 months prior to this recording. His partner had been positive for over 20 years, and despite taking precautions, he experienced his first outbreak after their first intercourse. We discuss the impact of narcissistic parents on his relationships, his encounters with dominatrixes, and dealing with prostatitis. Dave's vulnerability aims to encourage other men to open up and share their stories.

Diagnosed with genital HSV2 at 17, we catch up with 21-year-old Gemini, who showcases the stark contrast in disclosure experiences between her generation and mine. Gemini talks about secondary disclosure, where friends preemptively inform potential partners. Despite being outed in high school, her supportive friends stood up for her. As a queer individual and survivor of multiple sibling suicides, Gemini's resilience shines through in this compelling conversation.

I chat with former traveling Canadian Christian speaker, Meagan, who shared her herpes diagnosis story with high school kids for 5.5 years. Meagan reveals the harsh reality of being open about your status as a career before fully healing yourself. She discusses how compassion fatigue led her from inspiring hope to merely getting through the job. After quitting, she sought therapy, learning that venting isn't therapy and the importance of seeking guidance from qualified professionals.

After ending her divorce from her first everything, our guest this week shares her experience entering the dating world after having done everything 'right' and then ending up with someone who did not disclose their HSV status to her. You get a sense that he knew he had it and the point of realization was when she intuitively opened a drawer where his acyclovir was prescribed to him six months prior. When she confronted him, he responded dismissively and manipulatively, gaslighting her. This episode highlights the stigma of HSV and the lack of shame towards those who knowingly do not disclose their status. We also touch on the connection between sexual health and mental health, emphasizing how men's unwillingness to deal with their diagnosis in a healthy way keeps the stigma prevalent.

Have you ever disclosed your HSV status to a potential partner, they agreed to move forward, but you later found yourself annoyed, recognizing incompatibilities, and becoming someone you're not? Or, have you matched with someone who also has herpes, overlooked red flags, and ended up unhappy? This episode delves into the nuances of dating for convenience due to shared HSV status, the missed red flags, and the importance of setting personal boundaries. Herpes sets physical boundaries, and we must set emotional and relational ones too.

I almost skipped this week, thinking I had nothing to say, but ended up recording a 53-minute episode that ties the previous one together. Taking a week off social media, recommended by a board member, was a great call. Implementing boundaries revealed how drained I was due to boundarilessness. In this episode, we discuss the freedom that comes from setting boundaries, illustrated by two write-in stories from attendees of the "Something Negative for Positive People" fundraiser. These stories highlight relatable situations where boundaries can make a significant impact.