⚠️ Trigger Warning: This episode discusses addiction, childhood abuse, trauma, and the impact these experiences can have on marriage and relationships.

(Note that Sam goes more deeply into the exact nature of addiction and the specific effects it had on his marriage in the episodes that follow. )

This was a difficult episode for Sam to record. In this one-on-one conversation, Shereen sits down with Sam to ask about parts of his story that have only been touched on briefly until now.

Sam shares when he first began to understand his struggles through the lens of addiction, how his childhood and upbringing shaped him, and how trauma affected the way he showed up in marriage. The conversation also explores whether Sam believes he was predisposed to addiction, how early experiences shaped his coping mechanisms, and what it has taken for him to begin telling the truth about his own story.

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In this episode, Sam and Gen sit down for a candid conversation about what people are really looking for when they say they do not have capacity for full commitment.Gen shares why a situationship can make sense in a season where long term investment is not possible, but the desire for connection, affirmation, romance, and companionship is still very real. Sam reflects on his own version of that dynamic, including what he calls a “holy grail friend with benefits,” while also arguing that situationships may be more convenient than healthy.The conversation explores clarity, honesty, unmet needs, and the tension between what feels good in the moment and what actually builds strong relationships over time. Sam and Gen also wrestle with whether situationships are helping people relate more honestly, or simply giving them a more socially acceptable way to stay in undefined spaces.-- ☎️ Have a question you’d like Sam and Gen to answer about divorce, relationships, or emotional intelligence? DM us on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/samandgengotdivorced/👀Follow Kwesi:https://www.instagram.com/kwesi_jamaal👀 Follow Gen:https://www.instagram.com/cornercounsellor/https://www.facebook.com/genevieve.alao.5/👋🏾 Follow Sam:https://www.instagram.com/samueltheconnector/https://www.linkedin.com/in/sr3ms/👩🏿‍🤝‍👨🏾 Follow The Podcast:https://www.instagram.com/samandgengotdivorced/https://tiktok.com/@samandgengotdivorced/

Our funniest episode yet... Join Sam, Gen, and guest host Kwesi as they share their perspectives on situationships and the value (or harm) they bring, as well as their own situationship experiences post-divorce.

In this episode, Sam and Gen are joined by guest host Shereen for Part 2 of their conversation on grieving divorce.

Sam reflects openly on his regrets surrounding children, legacy, and the future he once imagined. Gen shares how her parents’ marriage and divorce shaped her expectations of commitment, conflict, and what love was supposed to look like. Together, they explore how early narratives influence adult decisions, and how grief often extends far beyond the end of a relationship.

The former couple discuss regret, generational patterns, and the tension between accepting what happened and mourning what never did. This is a conversation about loss, perspective, and the slow work of healing after a shared dream ends.

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In a deeply relatable episode for anyone who has been touched by divorce, whether their own or that of a loved one , Sam and Gen outline how their respective grieving processes started before the marriage ended, and share the aspects of grief that are still with them today.

In Part 2 of this conversation, Sam and Gen turn their attention to the stories we tell after a relationship ends, and who those stories are really for.

They explore whether Sam has shared the full story of their separation in a way that feels authentic to Gen, and what it means to tell the truth publicly while still honoring personal boundaries. The discussion moves into when full disclosure is helpful, when it can be harmful, and why some details belong in support circles rather than on a public platform.

Along the way, Sam and Gen continue to debate parts of their separation, sometimes seriously and sometimes lightheartedly, revealing how time, healing, and perspective change the way the same events are understood.

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In this episode, Sam and Gen are joined by guest host Simone Smithson for a candid conversation about memory and meaning, and why two people can experience the same relationship and remember it completely differently.

Through specific moments from their marriage, including how their relationship began, a honeymoon memory that carried opposite emotions, and a gift that was deeply meaningful to one and barely noticed by the other, they explore how memory is shaped by need, emotion, and survival.

The former couple also discuss love languages, selective memory, and how reframing the past can either keep us stuck or help us heal. Sam and Gen reflect on how growth changes perspective, how hearing each other’s memories now feels different than it once would have, and why healing does not require perfect agreement.

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This episode continues our conversation on conflict—this time focusing on boundaries.
With Cheddy back in the guest host seat, we get into how we learned to set limits with each other, the difference between protecting yourself and shutting down, and why men and women often process trauma and seek support differently.

We also talk:

• When to trust your body vs. when to question if it's a trauma response

• What online dating is doing to connection

• And how growing up on screens might change the next generation’s ability to love

This one gets honest, tense, and clarifying.

#love #dating #relationships #divorce

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