After a herpes diagnosis, many people try to handle everything on their own. They keep it private, do the inner work, and push forward. But even when you’re doing all the right things, something can still feel missing.

In this episode of the Herpes Wellness Podcast, Cat Dupree talks about why trying to heal in isolation often makes the process harder, not easier. She shares her own experience of keeping her diagnosis a secret for years, why that felt safer at first, and how the lack of connection quietly affected her emotional wellbeing.

This episode explores why healing after a herpes diagnosis is not just about mindset or forgiveness, but also about community, belonging, and having people who understand what you’re going through. Cat discusses how stigma can keep people isolated, why many struggle to open up even to those closest to them, and how finding the right kind of support can change the healing process.

You’ll also hear Cat reflect on the concept of belonging, inspired by Brené Brown’s work in Braving the Wilderness, and how learning the difference between fitting in and truly belonging reshaped the way she viewed connection after herpes.

You’ll learn:

-Why healing in isolation after a herpes diagnosis can feel exhausting

-How keeping your diagnosis to yourself impacts emotional healing

-Why community and belonging matter when living with herpes

-The difference between fitting in and truly belonging

-Why support looks different for everyone, no matter where you are in your journey

👉🏻 ONLINE COMMUNITY

Connect with others and get support from people who get it https://www.herpeswellness.com/

👉🏻 DOWNLOAD THE COMMUNITY APP

App Store https://apps.apple.com/us/app/herpes-wellness/id6746517614

Google Play https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.herpeswellness.community&pcampaignid=web_share&pli=1

📖 BRAVING THE WILDERNESS BY BRENÉ BROWN

Audiobook: https://amzn.to/3OglzhH

Paperback: https://amzn.to/4kGoGLW

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After a herpes diagnosis, a lot of people do the inner work. They learn, they grow, and they try to move forward. But something can still feel unfinished.

In this episode of the Herpes Wellness Podcast, Cat Dupree talks about forgiveness and why it is one of the most overlooked but essential parts of healing. Not forgiveness for someone else, but forgiveness as the step that allows you to stop carrying anger, resentment, and emotional pain long after the diagnosis.

You’ll learn why anger shows up in different ways depending on how you got herpes, how it often turns inward, and why no amount of anger changes what happened. Cat also shares how forgiveness is not about excusing the past or letting anyone off the hook, but about releasing what you are still carrying so it stops shaping your life.

This episode also introduces a practical forgiveness tool using Ho’oponopono and explains how consistent practice can help your mind and body respond differently over time.

You’ll learn:

-How anger after herpes diagnosis shows up and why it lingers

-Why inner work alone does not always bring emotional relief

-What forgiveness actually means and what it does not

-How forgiveness helps you move forward without denying your experience

-A simple daily practice to help release what you have been holding onto

🧘🏻‍♀️ Ho'oponopono Meditation https://youtu.be/1KFpFQFdM9E

👉🏻 ONLINE COMMUNITY Connect with others and get support from people who get it https://www.herpeswellness.com/

👉🏻 DOWNLOAD THE COMMUNITY APP

App Store https://apps.apple.com/us/app/herpes-wellness/id6746517614

Google Play https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.herpeswellness.community&pcampaignid=web_share&pli=1

After a herpes diagnosis, telling someone can feel like you’re handing your power over and waiting to see what happens next. Not because you want approval, but because you’re bracing for judgment, rejection, or things to change.

In this episode of the Herpes Wellness Podcast, Cat Dupree breaks down why telling someone you have herpes is one of the clearest truth tellers you’ll ever experience. This conversation explores how people’s reactions reveal their emotional capacity in real time, why this moment has nothing to do with your worth, and how herpes can actually act as a filter that saves you time, energy, and emotional investment.

You’ll learn:

-Why telling someone feels so vulnerable after a herpes diagnosis

-What people’s reactions really reveal about them, not you

-Why friends and family can sometimes be more judgmental than partners

-How to stop seeing herpes as something that takes from you

-What clarity gives you when someone pulls away or disappears

If you’re living with herpes and struggling with fear around telling someone, dating, or worrying how people will see you afterward, this episode will help you reframe that moment, trust what it shows you, and recognize that clarity isn’t rejection. It’s information working in your favor.

👉🏻 FREE ONLINE COMMUNITY

Connect with others and get support from people who get it https://www.herpeswellness.com/

👉🏻 DOWNLOAD THE COMMUNITY APP

App Store https://apps.apple.com/us/app/herpes-wellness/id6746517614

Google Play https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.herpeswellness.community&pcampaignid=web_share&pli=1