Herp A Derp Podcast

*As always, you can review my episodes on YouTube, Anchor or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find link to the channel on the podcast Instagram, Facebook and Twitter page @herpaderppodcast Thanks!

Hey Herp A Derpers! 

Herp A Derp celebrates its first year of foundation in May. Coincidently, my birthday is in May and my favorite number is 22! Just like this episode. Amazing how the universe lines us up. I’ve always wanted to create a podcast. Sharing stories has always been something I’ve felt connected to. By having the ability to listen to those who wanted to share their thoughts, opinions and experiences in life. Sprinkling in advice to those willing to receive it or want encouragement to keep going on their pursuit of happiness. These thoughts lead me to my internal struggle and self-conscious belief that needed to be talked about and addressed in society, herpes. And so, it goes! The ideas that sparked and flew into creating Herp A Derp Podcast.

I also can’t thank one thing enough, herpes. Yes, without herpes I would not be as wise, not as safe and not as informed if I have not been diagnosed. Without you herpes, I would not have met dear friends and influencers whom I have met and get to be more myself around.

I’m not afraid of rejection anymore. I’m not afraid to speak up in a relationship anymore. I’m not afraid to be myself anymore. I’m free and am open. Thank U, Herpes.

Feel free to share or comment on this podcast episode, through YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or email at [email protected]. Anchor listeners can now leave voice messages after listening to the podcast. Its super fun to do and share your thoughts. Life is all about confidence. 

*As always, you can review my episodes on YouTube, Anchor or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find link to the channel on the podcast Instagram, Facebook and Twitter page @herpaderppodcast Thanks!

Hey Herp A Derpers! 

What does it mean to be vibrant? To be dull or feel alive? I had the honor of interviewing the spiritual, fearless, herpes activist and leader of her V-for-Vibrant community KellyAnne on self-worth and personal growth that arises within ourselves to make a change in our lives. Herpes and the universe go hand in hand in our dialogue that makes us all feel connected and have purpose in what we do for HANDS, Herpes Activists Networking to Dismantle Stigma.

Feel free to share or comment on this podcast episode, through YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or email at [email protected]. Anchor listeners can now leave voice messages after listening to the podcast. Its super fun to do and share your thoughts. Life is all about confidence. 

Find KellyAnne:

https://www.instagram.com/v_for_vibrant/

https://www.patreon.com/vforvibrant

*As always, you can review my episodes on YouTube, Anchor or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find link to the channel on the podcast Instagram, Facebook and Twitter page @herpaderppodcast Thanks!

Hey Herp A Derpers! 

Break the Stigma Day aims to reduce stigma's impact by promoting awareness of herpes statistics and education about transmission and stigma, while promoting acceptance for those who are living with herpes through anonymous and public storytelling.

Awareness, Education and Acceptance

Self-acceptance can be hard to digest at times but know you will overcome so much by destigmatizing yourself from the herpes stigma. 

Throughout the week, we’ll be sharing a few videos about overcoming the social stigma of herpes. We invite you to share your experiences and stories too. Plus, sharing a special message from HANDS on Break the Stigma Day. This Day celebrates and embraces how much we can overcome in accepting who we are as individuals and being more than herpes.

Let’s empower each other by letting society know the need to break the stigma.

Follow, like, share, and comment on HANDS members’ posts by following our hashtags on social media: #btsd #breakthestigma #whatstigma #herpesstigma #HANDS #HandsStands #AgainstStigma #StandWithHands

Feel free to share or comment on this podcast episode, through YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or email at [email protected]. Anchor listeners can now leave voice messages after listening to the podcast. Its super fun to do and share your thoughts. Life is all about confidence. 

Show Notes:

Use HANDS sample social media posts and prompts highlighting herpes awareness, education, and acceptance resources with your network: https://herpes.education/btsdsocialmediaposts/   

*As always, you can review my episodes on YouTube, Anchor or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find link to the channel on the podcast Instagram, Facebook and Twitter page @herpaderppodcast Thanks!    

Hey Herp A Derpers!     

Grow and laugh what you go through.

The herpes stigma should not stop us from taking in the hilariousness of what a show or someone to  encourage everyone to talk and mention herpes without offending anyone. We have a strong belief that before you can make jokes about something that is deeply stigmatized, you have to destigmatize herpes and know when it is ok to. 

Still be sensitive to those who aren’t as open but know that it is worth a laugh to when knowing that herpes is so common enough and there is no cure that of course it is the virus that ends the world. Future Man is a surprisingly hilarious take on what would happen if the cure for herpes caused the end of the world. I highly encourage you to watch it and explore different wants humor can heal you and break the herpes stigma.

Feel free to share or comment on this podcast episode, through YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or email at [email protected]. Anchor listeners can now leave voice messages after listening to the podcast. Its super fun to do and share your thoughts. Life is all about confidence.         

Show Notes:

https://www.bustle.com/p/future-man-is-silly-fun-also-helps-destigmatize-herpes-2996570?utm_term=share

https://psychcentral.com/lib/the-healing-power-of-humor/

*As always, you can review my episodes on YouTube, Anchor or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find link to the channel on the podcast Instagram, Facebook and Twitter page @herpaderppodcast Thanks!

Hey Herp A Derpers! 

Cheers to the start of March! March is one of my favorite transitional seasonal months because its filled with reasons to celebrate. Mardi Gras, Saint Patrick’s Day and springing forward into spring equinox. Time for festivities and setting our warmer weather intentions.

One of my intentions in the midst of transition is to speak truth into existence. I’d like to share with you parts of my mantra that centers around the core themes and meaning of the truth:

Keep promises to myself that will benefit my lifestyle and wellbeing. 

Say what you need to say, stop lying about how I really feel.

Keep relationships that are valuable to you who are like-minded people.

My mantra reveals something I want to work onl telling the truth to myself, others and not believing in the lies I tell myself or what others say about me. By saying my mantra each and every morning, it brings me to a deep understanding of more ways we can tell ourselves and the ones we love and care about how much we mean to them by always telling them what we mean and need to say. 

To exposé this episode’s main theme, it’s speaking our truth on disclosing our herpes diagnosis to our intimate and sexually active partners. With spring fever in the air and the warmth encouraging us to break free from the cold depths of self-deflecting thoughts and winter, we want to be safe, healthy, happy and walk the earth with ease. Disclosing our herpes diagnosis can be intimidating and overwhelming in terms of what to say or even how to start the conversation. Truth is, it doesn’t have to be. You can make it easier, informative, sexier and make it happen all at once. 

HANDS (Herpes Activists Networking to Dismantle Stigma) launched a recent campaign highlighting tips and different ways to share your status in a loving compassionate way on communicating responsibly about sexual health status towards yourself and your partner. 

Check out the show notes for the story behind the “Make Disclosure Happen” campaign and the awareness infographics to save and keep them on your phone as helpful tips when you are ready to tell your partner. May it be easy, informative, sexy and make it happen. Your truth is yours to speak.

Feel free to share or comment on this podcast episode, through YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or email at [email protected]. Anchor listeners can now leave voice messages after listening to the podcast. Its super fun to do and share your thoughts. Life is all about confidence. 

Show Notes:

Herpes Activists Take Down NYC-Based Sex Educator's Harmful Content

https://www.prlog.org/12758431-herpes-activists-take-down-nyc-based-sex-educators-harmful-content.html

HANDS Projects – Make Disclosure Happen

https://herpes.education/hands-our-projects-herpes-activists-network/

*As always, you can review my episodes on YouTube, Anchor or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find link to the channel on the podcast Instagram, Facebook and Twitter page @herpaderppodcast Thanks!

Hey Herp A Derpers! 

Social communication and stigma are powerfully connected. Communication is critical to a stigma’s existence to elimination. 

On this episode, I want to break down the meaning, creation and communication of stigma. Stigmas are profoundly negative stereotypes of a social group and its members that have diffused and normalized throughout a community. 

Herp A Derp’s mission is all about creating a stigma free community and yet outside forces make us all who have herpes being marked as a stigmatized group, it does more than that. 

Stigmas denote people as discredited, devalued, and disgraced. Stigmas around sexual health and risk communication and are considered the leading—yet misunderstood—barrier to health awareness.

Deep breaths, deep thoughts, let's get into it!

Feel free to share or comment on this podcast episode, through YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or email at [email protected]. Anchor listeners can now leave voice messages after listening to the podcast. Its super fun to do and share your thoughts. Life is all about confidence.

Show notes:

How Big Pharma helped create the herpes stigma to sell drugs

https://www.salon.com/2019/02/12/how-big-pharma-helped-create-the-herpes-stigma-to-sell-drugs/ 

“Todays Scarlet Letter” tweet

https://twitter.com/HerpADerpPOD/status/1089853572496482304

 *As always, you can review my episodes on YouTube, Anchor or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find link to the channel on the podcast Instagram, Facebook and Twitter page @herpaderppodcast Thanks!

Hey Herp A Derpers! 

Love is in the air, my dear listeners. And you know what else is in the air? Valentine’s Day dinner dates and boxes of heart shaped chocolates that are 50% off the next day! 

No matter your spectrum of Valentine’s Day, we always find ourselves reflecting on love. Ever since I was diagnosed, I always knew I have a lot to share and give but am living with herpes and thought that I was damaged. After all, I have never had a true Valentine’s Day date.

How did I rise above the self-stigma? 

Love myself unconditionally.

All the parts of me…the good and the bad and the imperfectly perfect me. 

Embrace love this Valentine’s Day.

Share herpes the herpes valentines on this episode to help heal and have a smile on Valentine’s Day too.

Feel free to share or comment on this podcast episode, through YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or email at [email protected]. Anchor listeners can now leave voice messages after listening to the podcast. Its super fun to do and share your thoughts. Life is all about confidence.

*As always, you can review my episodes on YouTube, Anchor or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also find link to the channel on the podcast Instagram, Facebook and Twitter page @herpaderppodcast Thanks!

Hey Herp A Derpers!

After listening to the interview on Something Positive for Positive People, I reflected on how confident I was in confronting the “just a friend” in that moment but also building the courage to say what needed to be said. Beyond that, we have to stop stigmatizing ourselves. We hurt ourselves more when we don’t see our own worth. Herpes does not define us nor any bad things that have happened to us. We are capable of love and loving ourselves more.

Yes, we all have flaws but you must love yourself in order to take care of your mind and well-being. It will release you to become a better version of yourself. The kind, loving, caring self you can then give to others. 

Positive self-talk is something I am personally working on. Part of the process is to let go and listen to my heart for the good of my being. 

I choose to be single most of my life because I know I love myself more than anyone can give to myself at this moment. Yes, I have dated and do not regret anyone who I was with, but I learned to grow more into myself in what I am looking for in a relationship. I hope the man I love does the same for me.

Also, because you have never been in a relationship doesn’t mean you’re unsuccessful in loving someone else. It means you made the right choice in always putting yourself first. 

A quote from my favorite self-love poet R.H. Sin, “I hope you find someone who always chooses you. If you don’t, I hope you always choose yourself”.

Letting go is always hard but it will provide you the space to breathe, free up a ton of psychological space for new, good things to come into your life and flow through you. 

Now is the time to love yourself the most. Give yourself the positive self-talk you deserve. 

Every morning since the start of the new year, I would say my mantra, look myself in the mirror and say three amazing things I love about myself. 

Today, I said how beautiful of a person I am, inside and out, I will finish the video and course materials for my Google Analytics certification and kick my big booty to do abs and cardio at the gym after work today. By doing this, I encourage myself to believe them and not break these underlying promises to myself. 

This year I will no longer lie, and break my own promises. If you really want to motivate and get yourself to the next level, I inspire you to do the same thing. Promise to not go back to anyone who has ever hurt you. Promise to stay on your diet, workout and drink more water. Promise to love yourself more and lift others up around you.

Promise me that you will keep your promises. I promise, will you? I will always admit the truth and my faults as we are only human. But being human also goes with being a person and treating others the same way. 

Remember the golden rule? Treat others the way you want to be treated. So, it goes… If someone is not treating you the way you treat yourself, it is time to let them go.

Feel free to share or comment on this podcast episode, through YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter or email at [email protected]. Anchor listeners can now leave voice messages after listening to the podcast. Its super fun to do and share your thoughts. Life is all about confidence.

Herp A Derp. A podcast about breaking the stigma on herpes and empowering the community. I'm your host, Erin Devost  

*As always, you can review my episodes on YouTube or find link to the channel on the podcast Instagram page @herpaderppodcast  

Hey Herp A Derpers!    

We are officially launched on the Anchor App! The Anchor App is a podcast platform where Herp A Derp episodes can be distributed on any podcast platform! Apple, Spotify, PodBean and many more! I will still be continuing to post on YouTube, this will help me reach everyone on the H community.  

That being said, I know I have a few followers that recently joined and started following my podcast. I wanted to share my herpes diagnosis story to reflect on how much I have personal overcome and how you can too!