Holistic Treatments for HPV and Stress with Dr. Doni Wilson | Ep 46

Holistic Treatments for HPV and Stress

Episode 46 – Libido Lounge with Dr. Diane and Guest Dr. Doni Wilson

HPV, Shame, and Sexual Health

Dr. Diane: Welcome to the Libido Lounge, where we focus on all things love, lust, and libido. We believe that fabulous sex is just as important to health as exercise and good food.
Hey everybody, welcome back to another episode of the Lounge. I’m your libido host and expert, Dr. Diane, and today we have a special treat. My friend Dr. Doni Wilson, another naturopathic doctor, is here. She’s an expert on stress, HPV, and all the interconnected emotional and physical aspects of those conditions. We’re going to get into some juicy stuff today—HPV, how it affects your libido, stress, how to manage it, and so much more.

Dr. Doni: Thank you so much for having me, Diane. It’s a pleasure to be here.

Dr. Diane: Let’s jump right in. From a libido standpoint, HPV can bring up feelings of shame, guilt, and questions of safety—with ourselves and with our partners. You work with HPV a lot. Can you walk us through what you tell someone when they receive an initial HPV diagnosis?

Understanding the HPV Diagnosis

Dr. Doni: Absolutely. These days, HPV is being tested more frequently during routine pap smears, even before abnormal cells are detected. It’s becoming more common for women to find out they’re positive.
A lot of women are also experiencing delayed screenings due to the pandemic, and there’s research showing that COVID can increase the risk of HPV. Combine that with stress, and you’ve got more people testing positive.

What’s difficult is many practitioners are telling women: “You’re positive for HPV, but there are no abnormal cells, so come back in a year and we’ll recheck.” That’s the “wait and see” approach.

Dr. Diane: And so many women are not okay with that.

Dr. Doni: Right. These are high-risk viruses. HPV is linked with cervical, vaginal, anal, oral, and even penile cancers. Women want to know what they can do now—not wait around hoping they’re in the 90% where it clears on its own.

Why Standard Treatment Isn’t Enough

Dr. Doni: In conventional gynecology, the primary response is removing abnormal cells—through procedures like LEEP or conization. But those don’t kill the virus. Neither does the vaccine once you’re already infected.
So what happens is women go through this cycle—pap, colposcopy, LEEP, maybe even hysterectomy—and the virus keeps coming back. That’s why so many women are reaching out and saying, “I want to do something about this now.”

Dr. Diane: And that’s such a big gap in care. It’s not just about abnormal cells—this affects someone’s whole life and how they feel about themselves sexually.

The Importance of Testing—For Women and Men

Dr. Diane: What do you recommend when it comes to testing? Should people be requesting an HPV test at every well-woman visit? And why aren’t men tested?

Dr. Doni: Yes, I recommend getting tested. I’ve helped people clear HPV and prevent it from coming back. But we need to know it’s there to take action.

Unfortunately, there’s no standard HPV screening for men in the U.S., even though HPV can cause cancers in men too. In other countries, men are tested—and I believe it will eventually become standard here as well.
The lack of male testing creates huge gaps in the conversation, especially in relationships. If a woman tells her partner, and he doesn’t understand HPV, he might react with fear or judgment. Studies show HPV diagnoses can significantly impact women’s psychosexual health, self-esteem, and intimacy.

The Relationship Drama: Who Gave It to Whom?

Dr. Diane: And it can really spiral—people start asking, “Did my partner cheat? Where did this come from?”

Dr. Doni: That’s a very common reaction, but HPV can be dormant for years. You can’t tell when or from whom you got it. So it’s essential to separate those questions from the HPV conversation. There’s just no way to know.

Why Does HPV Show Up Now?

Dr. Diane: Let’s talk about why HPV might suddenly show up after being dormant. What causes it to become active?

Dr. Doni: I ask all my patients: “Have you been through significant stress in the last 2–5 years?” The answer is usually yes.
It could be relationship stress, a divorce, a death in the family, job changes, illness, or trauma. Stress disrupts cortisol levels, which weakens the immune system. That creates the perfect opportunity for the virus to reactivate.

We also look at gut health and the vaginal microbiome. Stress can cause leaky gut and microbial imbalances, which are linked to HPV susceptibility. Add toxin exposure—like mold—and hormonal imbalances, and it becomes a perfect storm.

The Vicious Cycles of Stress, Libido, and Immunity

Dr. Diane: I talk a lot on this podcast about the stress-libido vicious cycle. Stress kills libido, which prevents oxytocin release, which is our master anti-stress hormone. Then we spiral. What other tools do you recommend to get out of these cycles?

Dr. Doni: I love that you’re focusing on oxytocin. That’s exactly it—we’re not trying to eliminate all stress, but we can recover and become more resilient.

It starts with identifying stressors and how they’ve depleted your body. We look at adrenal health, nutrient deficiencies, gut and vaginal microbiome, sleep, and hormone balance. I use these areas to guide healing.

Sex, connection, spending time in nature, hugging a pet, laughing with a friend—these are all activities that help counteract stress. I call them “recovery activities.” Music, meditation, and movement are powerful too.

HPV, Intimacy, and Empowerment

Dr. Doni: One thing I want women to know: you can be intimate again, even if HPV is still present in your relationship. I work with many women who are in long-term monogamous relationships and still manage to keep HPV from causing issues—because they’ve learned how to support their body and immune system.

Dr. Diane: That’s such a hopeful message. A healthy body is a resilient body. When we’re in balance, we are more resilient to infections, toxins, stress—everything.

Connect with Dr. Doni

Dr. Diane: Thank you so much for this rich, empowering conversation. It’s been such a gift having you on the show.

You can find me on YouTube, on Instagram, and check out our Modern Libido Club for so much more!