How a clinician informs a patient that they have genital herpes, and counsels them during diagnosis and treatment, has a critical impact on the patient's long-term adjustment to herpes. Allowing adequate time for discussion (and ensuring that the patient understands the information provided) enables the patient to gain sufficient understanding of genital herpes and helps them to adjust well to the infection. Support should focus on empowering the patient to take control of their disease so that they understand the need to practise safer sex consistently, discuss their disease openly with partners, and treat herpes outbreaks appropriately. The value of suppressive antiviral therapy and consistent condom use to help the patient control their disease, its transmission and its psychological sequelae, should not be underestimated.