Safety in Intimacy and Holding Space for Men

Originally published, June 4th, 2024.

This episode really set a bar for the caliber of conversations I wanted to have. It was a pleasure getting to drop in with Courtney and explore across many topics that tie to our culture, backgrounds, and commonalities from lived experiences.

There’s much admiration to those who devote their time and livelihood to following and advocating for that which they feel passionate about. Since this conversation, I’ve witness Courtney bloom into his work with a dedication like none other. He’s made significant progress with his work for advocacy, destigmatizing, and shame reduction around Herpes as well as continued to expand his education and skills to support the communities he is tied to and serves with expanding his wellness resources and offers.

I hope to catch up with Courtney again soon and hash it out to see what we’ve come to know since our last conversation and continue exploring expansive conversations.

Safety in Intimacy and Holding Space for Men with Courtney Brame

What's it like to take up space beyond the stigmas of herpes? We had a chat with Courtney Brame (he/him) from the non profit organization, Something Positive for Positive People, a support resource for people navigating herpes stigma.

SHOW NOTES

In this episode we talked about:

• HSV and managing outbreaks through yoga + yoga therapy

• Choosing to take up space and managing stereotypes and expectations as a straight, Black Man in the wellness community

• The responsibility of holding cultural reverence, carrying this responsibility as a person of color, and being intentional in the environments we exist within

• Boundaries, consent, and self ownership

• Holding space for women in exploring communication, sex, relationships, and herpes diagnosis

• Stepping into leadership and creating community with Black men exploring with curiosity, vulnerability, and emotional intelligence

• Understanding and practicing the art of vulnerability

• Dating, connection, and being a good conversationalist vs. communicator

• How to make men feel heard, held, and softening safely into what it means to be a man/masculine in the evolution of society

• Physical, mental + emotional safety in dating and connection

About Courtney:

As founder of Something Positive for Positive People, Courtney combines his expertise as a 500-hour registered yoga teacher with his passion for destigmatizing herpes. Through SPFPP, he offers restorative yoga and meditation in support groups, enhancing holistic well-being for those living with herpes. As the host of the SPFPP podcast, Courtney shares inspiring stories of individuals navigating herpes stigma. He extends his advocacy to sexual health education and STD prevention, promoting stigma-free communication among healthcare providers and organizations. Driven to create a world where herpes discussions are empowering and stigma-free, Courtney's work at SPFPP is reshaping sexual health dialogue, offering a blend of wellness practices and empathetic advocacy to build a more understanding community.

Find + connect with Courtney online at:

Website: www.spfpp.org

Instagram: instagram.com/CourtneyBrame

LET’S GO SLOW. LET’S GET DEEP. Work with me:slowdeep.co

Instagram:https://instagram.com/selfstudylab

Questions, comments or topic requests/suggestions: email euni at [email protected]

Audio engineered by Miko Aguilar, Music by Qolaj

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