Alcohol doesn’t always look like chaos. Sometimes it looks high-functioning. Responsible. Successful. Strong.
In this episode of Women of Color: An Intimate Conversation (a 100 Best Women’s Empowerment podcast), host Deneen L. Garrett sits down with Colleen Clifford — author, speaker, coach, and commercial fisherwoman — for a deeply grounded conversation on binge drinking, grief, suicide survival, emotional resilience, and the hidden coping patterns many of us use to survive high-stress lives.
As a former binge drinker and suicide survivor, Colleen shares what it took to name her own patterns — and how losing her husband to alcohol-related suicide became a turning point that changed the questions she started asking about healing, truth, and finding steadier ground.
In this conversation, we explore:
• High-functioning binge drinking and pain hiding in plain sight
• Alcohol as a coping mechanism for grief and stress
• Suicide survival, shame, and what support really looks like
• The quiet ways women deny themselves while still showing up for everyone else
• How to find your north star — and return to steadiness after loss
Colleen also shares the heart behind her forthcoming book, Life Beyond the Binge, and invites listeners to consider one honest first step: naming what’s real.
If you’ve ever looked fine on the outside but felt unsteady within, this conversation is for you.
Crisis support (U.S.): If you or someone you love is struggling, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline), available 24/7.
Full show notes: https://www.womenofcoloranintimateconversation.com/high-functioning/
CONNECT WITH COLLEEN CLIFFORD
Website: https://lifebeyondthebinge.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/purepotential.health/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Pure-Potential-Health/61567862578775/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pure-potential-llc-c-936735245/
ABOUT THE PODCAST
Women of Color: An Intimate Conversation is a 100 Best Women’s Empowerment Podcast hosted by Deneen L. Garrett, featuring honest, soul-centered conversations that empower women to choose themselves, heal deeply, and live boldly.
All episodes: https://www.womenofcoloranintimateconversation.com/
Learn about the Dream Lifestyle™ Collective: https://www.skool.com/dream-lifestyle-skool-1061/about
Connect with Deneen L. Garrett LLC: https://deneenlgarrett.com/
Business inquiries: Deneen@deneenlgarrett.com
SUBSCRIBE TO @DeneenLGarrett
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