Episode Summary: SPFPP 373 - "Something Smooth About an Orbit"

Release Date: June 1, 2025
Host: Courtney Brame, Founder of Something Positive for Positive People (SPFPP.org)
Podcast Description: A stigma-forward podcast exploring how shame fragments identity—and how presence heals it. Hosted by Courtney Brame, SPFPP delves into deeper conversations around diagnosis, disclosure, masculinity, emotional wellness, and the journey to becoming whole.

1. Introduction and Personal Context

In this heartfelt episode, Courtney Brame shares her recent personal challenges and the profound lessons she's gleaned from unexpected life events. She begins by addressing her current circumstances, including a tornado that disrupted her living situation, forcing her to navigate life from various friends' homes and an Airbnb in Oakland.

Courtney Brame [05:30]: "I had to sit still because I couldn't go home. Not being able to go home made me realize how much I value safety and freedom."

2. Navigating Displacement and Finding Stillness

Courtney recounts the upheaval caused by the tornado, which destroyed her home in St. Louis. This upheaval, while challenging, became a catalyst for self-reflection and personal growth. She emphasizes the necessity of stillness—a state she wasn't accustomed to—as a pathway to understanding her true self.

Courtney Brame [10:15]: "The hardest part about losing my home isn't that I lost things; it's that I lost what home represented to me."

3. Reflection on Identity, Values, and Alignment

Delving deeper, Courtney explores how the experience forced her to align her beliefs with her behaviors. She identifies key values that surfaced during this period: challenge and liberation. These values are now central to her identity and guide her actions moving forward.

Courtney Brame [18:45]: "I've come to learn that what I value is liberation and challenge. And the challenges fuel the liberation."

4. Embracing Change and Personal Growth

Courtney discusses the impact of her breakup amidst these changes, viewing it as a necessary step towards alignment and personal clarity. She acknowledges the discomfort of moving away from familiar environments and the importance of embracing challenges to foster personal liberation.

Courtney Brame [25:50]: "My ex was right to break up with me. It set me up for receiving the lesson I needed from being back home and losing it to the tornado."

5. Building Community and Support Systems

Gratitude is a recurring theme as Courtney thanks her friends and supporters who provided shelter and assistance during her tumultuous time. She highlights the importance of community in healing and overcoming stigma.

Courtney Brame [35:20]: "I wouldn't be able to do this without y'all—your stories, your support, your celebration, you all."

6. Future Plans and Continuing the Journey

Looking ahead, Courtney shares her excitement about upcoming opportunities to foster community and support through events and conferences. She discusses plans to attend the STI Engage conference in Phoenix and the ASEC conference in Las Vegas, as well as organizing in-person events like the 2026 conference in San Antonio, Texas.

Courtney Brame [52:10]: "In May of 2026, we're going to have an in-person Something Positive for Positive People conference in San Antonio, Texas. Shout out to Amber for acquiring space for us."

7. Emphasizing Presence and Choice

Throughout the episode, Courtney underscores the significance of being present and making conscious choices aligned with one’s true self. She introduces the concept of the "atomic living model," which emphasizes creativity, curiosity, connection, and choice as fundamental values.

Courtney Brame [43:00]: "You're the attractor of positive and negative. Your proton is your intention, your purpose, and how you express it through electrons—allowing things to orbit that resonate with what you're attracting."

8. Conclusion and Encouragement

As the episode concludes, Courtney encourages listeners to stay present, embrace their identities, and challenge stigmas by fostering connections and validating their truths. She expresses heartfelt thanks to her audience for their patience and support during her personal transition.

Courtney Brame [60:00]: "Let's bring presence to stigma. Let's get our identities back from this. Let's cultivate an evolved sense of self and just be."

Key Takeaways

• Embracing Stillness: Sometimes, unexpected disruptions can lead to profound self-discovery and personal growth.
• Value Alignment: Aligning one's beliefs with actions is crucial for authentic living and personal liberation.
• Community Support: Building and relying on a supportive community is essential in overcoming challenges and stigma.
• Continuous Growth: Embracing challenges and maintaining curiosity fosters ongoing personal and emotional wellness.
• Presence and Choice: Being present and making conscious choices aligned with one's true self can transform how we experience and navigate life's challenges.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• On Identity and Stigma:

  "I often do a meditation with people... what stigma does is it fractures our sense of identity to where we become smaller in a space that we overcompensate our sense of self as a result of stigma."
  [02:30]

• On Personal Challenges:

  "The tornado really made me have to sit down because I couldn't go home."
  [04:45]

• On Values and Liberation:

  "I've come to learn that what I value is liberation and challenge. And the challenges fuel the liberation."
  [19:10]

• On Community Support:

  "I wouldn't be able to do this without y'all's stories, without y'all's support."
  [35:25]

• On Presence and Choice:

  "Let's bring presence to stigma. Let's get our identities back from this. Let's cultivate an evolved sense of self and just be."
  [59:45]

Upcoming Events and How to Get Involved

• Support Groups:

  • Men's Atomic Purpose Group: Second Monday of each month at 7:30 PM.
  • General Support Group: Third Monday of each month.

• Monthly Guest Speakers: Fourth Monday of each month featuring special guests.

• Conferences:

  • STI Engage Conference: Phoenix, Arizona.
  • ASEC Conference: Las Vegas, Nevada.
  • 2026 SPFPP In-Person Conference: San Antonio, Texas.

Courtney Brame [58:30]: "Donations really help with that. I'm about to really take this shit to the next level."

Final Thoughts

Courtney Brame's candid exploration of her personal journey amidst adversity offers listeners a profound look into how challenges can catalyze growth, self-discovery, and community building. Her emphasis on presence, alignment of values, and the importance of supportive relationships resonates deeply, providing both inspiration and practical insights for those navigating their own experiences with stigma and identity.

Stay connected by subscribing, reviewing, and sharing the podcast. Join the SPFPP community to support and share in the journey towards wholeness.