2024 Herpes Stigma Conference
Professional Recordings Now Available for Purchase
The 2024 Herpes Stigma Conference, hosted by Something Positive for Positive People (SPFPP), brought together leaders in medicine, mental health, sex education, and public health to address how stigma around herpes impacts people and the systems meant to support them.
Now, you can access each session as a downloadable recording. These presentations were created with professionals in mind and are designed to help you understand herpes stigma at a deeper level—so you can support patients, clients, students, and communities with more clarity, presence, and compassion.
Each session is 60–75 minutes and includes real-world insights, practical tools, and examples drawn directly from lived experience and professional practice.
Herpes in Healthcare Settings
Presenter: Evelin Dacker, MD
For: Medical professionals, nurses, clinicians, health educators
Dr. Dacker explores how herpes stigma shows up in healthcare and what providers can do to create patient-centered, stigma-free care environments. This session helps you improve patient communication and provide more affirming treatment options.
Stigma in Mental Health Spaces
Presenter: Nikita Fernandes, LCSW
For: Therapists, counselors, social workers, mental health professionals
Nikita examines how stigma impacts identity, disclosure, and treatment outcomes. This session offers strategies mental health providers can use to create safer therapeutic environments for clients living with herpes.
Minimizing Stigma for Youth Educators
Presenter: Dakota Ramppen
For: Sex educators, youth workers, curriculum developers
Dakota offers language and tools for talking about herpes with young people. This presentation is designed for youth educators who want to reduce shame, deliver accurate sexual health information, and support students with compassion.
The Symptoms of Stigma: 2023–2024 Survey Analysis
Presenter: Courtney Brame, SPFPP Founder
For: Healthcare providers, mental health professionals, sex educators, researchers
Courtney presents data from SPFPP’s 2023–2024 herpes stigma survey, covering symptoms, treatment experiences, disclosure, relationships, and patient-provider communication. This session gives professionals a direct look at the lived experiences behind the statistics and highlights gaps in care.
Why These Recordings Matter
Ground your practice in the real experiences of people living with herpes
Strengthen patient and client trust by using language that minimizes harm
Learn practical, stigma-sensitive strategies you can use immediately
Gain insights from experts across multiple disciplines
Support ongoing stigma reduction efforts in public health and sexual health
Access The Recordings
Each session can be purchased individually. Recordings are hosted on SPFPP and are accessible to you on demand.