Receiving a genital herpes diagnosis can leave you feeling very lonely. You might not know anyone else who has it simply because people often don’t talk about it. This might make it seem like you are the only one in your circle who has it. If you have opened up to someone you’re close to, you may have found that they are very supportive. However, you might still have this feeling that they can’t really understand if they haven’t experienced it themselves. Meeting and talking with others who are like you and who know what it’s like to live with a herpes diagnosis can feel so comforting.

Before I go on, I want you to know that many women just like you have contacted me for individual or group therapy. Normal, smart, amazing women just like you. And many of these same women have been able to recover their self-esteem and go on to enjoy sex and wonderful relationships with accepting partners. Herpes might be the first thing on your mind right now, but it can become something you hardly think about.

You are not alone.

Meeting others like you who share your experience can be tremendously healing and helpful. Being able to talk with others about how you feel and what you are currently struggling with or have questions about and hearing their stories as well can help you feel more grounded, comforted, and normal. When you walk into a room and see others who look like you and have stories like yours, it can be very reassuring.

But I know the idea of going to a support group for herpes can also feel unnerving.

You might worry that others won’t be like you at all. You might worry there will be someone in the room who knows you. Although you might desire to talk about it with others who get it, another part of you might want to ignore it for as long as possible.

I hope to assuage your fears because being a part of a group where others share your experience and are in many ways just like you can actually help you feel more like yourself again. It can remind you that herpes is something that can happen when people do normal things and that it happens to other normal, smart, amazing women just like you.

A Safe, Comfortable Space

I aim to create a safe space where women come to get support and work on their personal growth, a space where education empowers you, where you can become more at ease with yourself and with others. This is a group for women who do not want to settle, for women who want to have hope and want to feel confident again. It is a space to experience growth in your confidence and self-esteem at your core, where herpes is only a catalyst. My hope is for you to be able to see herpes as just something you have to deal with from time to time and not synonymous with who you are. This might feel impossible right now, but many people are able to eventually feel that herpes is no longer something that preoccupies their thoughts.

Therapy Group for Women

My therapy group for women with herpes is about more than adjusting to a herpes diagnosis; it’s about using this time as an opportunity to improve your self-esteem, your ability to speak up for what you need and want, to increase your sense of agency, and to work on having more satisfying relationships—with both yourself and others.

Personal growth is a life long effort and we often experience opportunities to do important work and make meaningful progress during certain challenges and transitions in our lives. I hope this can be one of those moments in your life.

Who is a good fit for this group?

• Professional women in their 20s, 30s, and early 40s.

• Women with a new or prior diagnosis that they feel is still having an impact on their life by limiting their ability to live in a full way (i.e. avoiding dating, avoiding disclosure, affecting how they feel about themselves, etc.)

• Women who appreciate internal reflection and personal growth.

• Women who want to work through their thoughts and feelings in a private setting with other women who are committed to understanding and growth.

• Women who want to work on their self-esteem and confidence

• Women who want to work on their relationship patterns (such as increasing confidence, choosing emotionally available partners, or exploring their attachment style).

• Women who also want to support other women in their process and will commit to showing up for both themselves and others.

• Women who can generally commit to a weekly group, barring an emergency or illness.

Topics Explored In The Group

• Diagnosis experiences, symptoms, treatments, facts

• Self-care

• Gender and Herpes

• Dating and disclosure

• How you feel about yourself, what has changed since diagnosis

• Self-esteem

• Dating and Relationship patterns (prior to and after herpes)

• Attachment styles

• What if you experience rejection? Having your feelings while holding onto a strong sense of self-worth.

• Having healthy expectations and a healthy sense of entitlement to good treatment by others.

• Finding authentic ways to talk about herpes.

• Building a full life that you love

When: Mondays

Time: 6-7:30pm

Where: In person, at my private office in Murray Hill, Manhattan, near Grand Central Station on East 35th St. and Lexington Ave.

Fee: $75 per session

Is a Commitment Required?

An initial commitment of 8 weeks is expected. This ensures an emotionally safe and consistent environment for everyone. However, I understand that joining a group can feel intimidating. You may feel unsure or worried about whether you will like or relate to the others in the group. Before you attend the group, we will have a phone consultation and a complimentary in person session to help you decide whether the group is a good fit. If after your initial group session, you feel the group is not what you expected, you will have an opportunity to discontinue.

I offer a discount to those who pay for 8 weeks in advance. The cost is $534.

If you choose to continue the group following your first 8 weeks, you’ll be able to renew for 4 sessions at a time ($267).

How Do I Find Out More?

If you’re ready to stop shame and worry from getting in the way, find hope and feel more connected to others who share your experiences, contact me for a free 15-minute phone consultation to learn more about how group therapy with a plan and the right therapist can help you start feeling better. I will ask a little about you and what you hope to get out of the group and can answer any questions you have. If we both think the group might be a good fit, we will schedule an in-person individual session before you sign-up for the group.

In the individual session, I will spend time learning more about you, your experience, and your concerns. You will have an opportunity to see what working with me is like, and I can help you to make a final decision about whether to move forward with the group. If you do decide to move forward with the group, this session will help me to know you better and to support you as an individual in the group.

I also offer individual therapy if you don’t quite feel ready for a group right now.

If You're Interested but Not Ready

Coming to a group like this for the first time isn't always easy. If you'd like to learn more about how I can help, check out my blog posts on herpes here. You can also learn more about my background and approach to therapy here.