Finding Your North Star

Finding Your North Star

From If Only by Brenda McGregor

April 14, 2026 · 49 min

About this episode

Colleen Clifford shares her journey of overcoming shame and self-loathing after a painful STI diagnosis at 19.

One moment of shame can become a life sentence if we never challenge the story it creates. My guest, Colleen Clifford, knows that firsthand. After a painful STI diagnosis at 19 and the judgment that came with it, she quietly decided she was unlovable and lived for years with self-loathing, binge drinking, and a drive to disappear into work and distance, including decades in the commercial fishing industry on massive vessels in the Bering Sea. We also go to the hard place: the loss of C...

People in this episode

Host: Brenda McGregor

Guest: Colleen Clifford

Topics covered

  • self-acceptance
  • mental health
  • overcoming shame
  • personal growth
  • life challenges

Keywords

  • shame
  • self-loathing
  • STI diagnosis
  • binge drinking
  • commercial fishing
  • personal story
  • mental health

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