S3 | E2 How They Turned Heartbreak into Purpose

S3 | E2 How They Turned Heartbreak into Purpose

This episode of Couples Unfiltered is sponsored in part by Color Story Florals in Vista, CA. We’ve partnered with them to feature handcrafted floral arrangements in our episodes, designed with 80% locally grown California flowers. Use code UNFILTERED10 for 10% off your next order at croziersflowersvista.com or call 760-726-3800. In this deeply moving episode of Couples Unfiltered, we sit down with Rob and Emilee McGowan, a couple married for more than 28 years whose relationship began as friendship and evolved into a lifelong partnership shaped by love, resilience, and unimaginable loss. Long before romance, Rob and Emilee were close friends building separate lives and families. Both were raising children and navigating parallel chapters before friendship slowly turned into love, creating the foundation for a blended family rooted in trust, connection, and shared purpose. Their lives changed forever when their son, Myles, was diagnosed at age three with a rare pediatric brain cancer called Ependymoma. After a courageous fight, Myles passed away in 2008. Rather than allowing grief to define them, Rob and Emilee transformed heartbreak into purpose by founding Myles Ahead of Cancer, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting caregivers and families navigating childhood cancer diagnoses, caregiving, and the devastating loss of a child. Through advocacy, compassion, and partnerships with organizations like Camp Ronald McDonald for Good Times and the Long Beach Ronald McDonald House, Myles Ahead of Cancer continues to provide meaningful support, community, and resources for families walking through the unimaginable. Learn more or support their mission: MylesAheadOfCancer.org Instagram: www.instagram.com/MylesAheadofCancer/ [http://www.instagram.com/MylesAheadofCancer/] In addition to their nonprofit work, Rob, also known as Skinny Black, co-hosts Skinny Black’s Lounge Podcast, a video-style podcast centered on culture, humor, real conversation, personal growth, and authentic dialogue from the perspective of Black men. Alongside co-hosts JT (CT) and Uncle Rennie (Tubbs), the podcast creates space for vulnerable, thoughtful, and often hilarious conversations aimed at strengthening relationships and community. Watch or follow: YouTube: Skinny Black’s Lounge Podcast Instagram: www.instagram.com/skinnyblackslounge/ [http://www.instagram.com/skinnyblackslounge/] Host Instagram: www.instagram.com/sbl_host/ [http://www.instagram.com/sbl_host/] Together, Rob and Emilee also lead Diving Within, a coaching and consulting practice focused on executive coaching for Black men through shadow work, strategic authenticity, and personal growth, while also helping couples strengthen communication, emotional connection, accountability, and intimacy. Learn more: www.divingwithin.net/ [http://www.divingwithin.net/] Instagram: www.instagram.com/divingwithincoaching/ [http://www.instagram.com/divingwithincoaching/] This conversation explores friendship, marriage, grief, resilience, healing, and legacy, and what it truly means to keep choosing one another through life’s hardest seasons.

S3 | E1 Understanding Over Communication

Season 3 kicks off with an honest conversation between Lionel and Natalie about what really makes relationships work and why communication alone is not enough. Inspired by a conversation with an older client, they explore the idea that true connection comes from understanding your partner’s past, triggers, fears, and emotional needs. Throughout the episode, they open up about childhood experiences, family dynamics, emotional safety, and how past pain can quietly shape reactions in present-day relationships. Using a real moment involving their daughter and a misunderstood text message, they break down how unresolved experiences from childhood can influence parenting, conflict, and the way couples respond to one another. Lionel and Natalie also share updates on life outside the podcast, including Lionel’s career transition into insurance, their upcoming Juneteenth celebration in San Marcos, and the growth of their community work through Couples Unfiltered. This episode is a raw and thoughtful reminder that healthy relationships require maintenance, patience, accountability, and the willingness to truly listen without ego. From emotional healing to keeping the “new car smell” alive in marriage, this conversation is filled with practical insight, vulnerability, humor, and real-life perspective for couples navigating love, family, and personal growth together. For more information about their Juneteenth Celebration, go to couplesunfiltered.com/juneteenth [http://couplesunfiltered.com/juneteenth] or get your tickets at: https://events.humanitix.com/the-freedom-table/tickets [https://events.humanitix.com/the-freedom-table/tickets]

Season 2 Ep.13 Our First Marriage Disconnect: Triggers, Scar Tissue & Healing

In this deeply personal episode of Couples Unfiltered, Lionel and Natalie sit down, just the two of them, to unpack their very first marriage fight. Or, as they call it, a disconnect. What begins as a moment involving alcohol intoxication quickly reveals something much deeper: unresolved scar tissue from past experiences, losses, and relationships that quietly shape how we react when we feel unsafe, misunderstood, or triggered. Rather than glossing over the moment, Lionel and Natalie courageously slow it down to examine what actually happened beneath the surface. This episode opens an honest conversation about how alcohol, or any substance use, whether it feels “minor” or not, can amplify old wounds and unintentionally create emotional distance between partners. It’s not about blame. It’s about awareness, accountability, and learning how to reconnect when past pain shows up in present-day relationships. This conversation will resonate with anyone who has been impacted by alcoholism, substance misuse, or the ripple effects it creates in marriages and families, whether the issue feels big, small, or somewhere in between. Most importantly, this episode reminds us that disconnection doesn’t have to be the end of the story. With vulnerability, communication, and intention, it can become a doorway to deeper understanding and growth. This is an important episode. A necessary one. And one we hope reminds listeners that they are not alone. If you or someone you love is struggling with alcohol or substance use, help is available: • SAMHSA National Helpline (treatment referrals & support)📞 1-800-662-HELP (4357) | 24/7 confidential🌐 https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help [https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help] • Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)🌐 https://www.aa.org [https://www.aa.org] • Narcotics Anonymous (NA)🌐 https://www.na.org [https://www.na.org] • Al-Anon & Alateen (for families, partners & teens affected by someone else’s drinking)📞 1-888-425-2666🌐 https://www.al-anon.org [https://www.al-anon.org] • 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline📞 Call or text 988 | 24/7 support🌐 https://988lifeline.org [https://988lifeline.org]

Season 2 Ep. 12 “Rock & Rules: Etiquette & Artistry with the Swanns”

This episode of Couples Unfiltered is sponsored in part by Color Story Florals in Vista, CA. We’ve partnered with them to feature some of their handcrafted arrangements in our episodes—designed with 80% locally grown California flowers. Use code UNFILTERED10 at croziersflowersvista.com for 10% off your next order or call them today at 760-726-3800 In this episode we sit down with two incredibly accomplished individuals who have built a strong identity in their own fields and an even stronger bond as a couple. Elaine Swann is a lifestyle etiquette expert, speaker, author, and founder of the Swann School of Protocol. Her work helps people lead with confidence and respect in every area of life. Her husband, Christopher Swann, is a gifted musician and creative visionary who spent years performing, producing, and composing — a man who lives and breathes artistic life. Throughout this unfiltered conversation, we dive into how their seemingly different worlds — the structured world of etiquette and the free-form world of rock and creativity — actually harmonize in their marriage and their mission. Elaine shares what’s coming next with Elaine Swann’s Book of Modern Etiquette, and you’ll want to visit elaineswann.com for more. Christopher’s creative world is just as vibrant at chrisswannmusic.com. For more information and to learn more about this beautiful couple and what they’re doing in the world, be sure to check both sites. And whatever you do… stay for the end. Let’s just say Lionel and Chris found themselves in an unexpected, impromptu jam session — yes, Lionel is an artist too — and the moment they created together is something you have to see to understand.

Season 2 Ep 11. “Table for One: Chef Claudia Dishes Off the Menu”

This episode of Couples Unfiltered is sponsored in part by Color Story Florals in Vista, CA. We’ve partnered with them to feature some of their handcrafted arrangements in our episodes—designed with 80% locally grown California flowers. Use code UNFILTERED10 at croziersflowersvista.com for 10% off your next order or call them today at 760-726-3800 On this episode of Couples Unfiltered, we sit down with someone the world knows as Chef Claudia Sandoval. But today, it's just Claudia. Behind the MasterChef title, the cookbook, and the television presence is a woman navigating life, love, motherhood, and dating in the public eye. This conversation is personal and real. Claudia opens up about what it means to be seen, the weight of assumptions, and the vulnerability that comes with wanting true connection. This episode isn't about food. It's about the human behind the hustle, the soul beyond the spotlight, and the strength it takes to stay open when the world sees only your résumé. Listen in for honest reflections, shared truths, and an intimate look at what Claudia really wants from love and life. This is what it means to keep it unfiltered. Season 6 | Master Chef Winner  Claudia's Story Chef Claudia Sandoval is an award-winning chef, bestselling author, TV host, and executive producer internationally recognized for her modern approach to Mexican cuisine and her deep commitment to community. She launched her career after winning Season 6 of MasterChef U.S., becoming the first Latina to hold the title, and has since built a robust television résumé with appearances on Chopped, Worst Cooks in America, Tournament of Champions, Grudge Match, Easter Basket Challenge, and Top Chef VIP. She has also judged MasterChef Latino (Telemundo) and MasterChef Latinos (Estrella TV). Beyond the screen, Claudia has produced and hosted the docuseries Taste of the Border (Discovery+) and La Mesa Mexa (Bite Originals). In 2025, she expanded her global impact as a Mentor for Team Mexico at the Bocuse d’Or Competition, the world’s most prestigious culinary contest. Founder of Claudia’s Cocina and creator of the acclaimed pop-up bakery Cochi Dorado, she has partnered with leading global brands and helped raise more than $1 million for nonprofits. Based between San Diego and Tijuana, Claudia continues to champion culture, storytelling, and community through every dish and project she touches.