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VH1 Couples Retreat Season 2 returned for a brand new episode on Monday night. This week, emotions and realizations played the biggest part between the couples. However, what viewers didn't expect to see was Daniel showcasing his vulnerable side.
In a one-on-one session with AJ Johnson, Daniel opened up about his tragic past which made it hard for him to love someone.
After going through a lot of ups and downs with his girlfriend Jess Hilarious, Daniel had a one-on-one conversation with AJ to find out the cause for it. AJ asked the Couples Retreat star to open up about his childhood.
Daniel shared that he came from a single parent household. He was the eldest of three kids. The Couples Retreat star also shared that he had not met his father. Continuing, Daniel shared that his mother would do anything for them, but when it came to affection, she didn't give them any.
Opening up more about his mother and childhood, Daniel said that in the late 80s, she contracted HIV. The knowledge was different back then and he wasn't even allowed to hug his mother.
During her confessional, AJ shared:
"Most men learn how to be affectionate, how to treat a women through their mother. But learning that Daniel lost his mother so young to HIV, he doesn't even know who his father is, I'm starting to understand more and more, why Daniel is the way he is."
Talking about how that experience affected his life since then, Daniel shared that he felt like he couldn't outwardly display his feelings like others do. The Couples Retreat star added that he had to make a conscious effort for his son not to be the same person he was.
When AJ asked Daniel if Jess was aware of his past, he said that she did know about it and that was one of the reasons he could be around her. He said that it was because they could talk.
However, when they arrived at the retreat, things were maginified. The Couples Retreat star added that Jess realized that she wasn't getting some of the things she wanted in their relationship. AJ noted that Daniel needed to get more emotional in order for him to fall in love with anyone.
Fans, who witnessed Daniel portray a vulnerable side for the first time since he entered the retreat, took to social media to share their thoughts.
Fans send their heart out to Daniel after he got vulnerable about his tragic past in Couples Retreat Season 2, Episode 7
Taking to Twitter, fans shared that they felt sad for Daniel. Some shared that they were glad that the Couples Retreat star was able to open up and tell the truth.
More details on what happened this week in Couples Retreat, Episode 7, Season 8
Titled From Darkness to Light, the episode saw the couples taking part in their last group activity before negotiating their new relationship contracts. As their time in the retreat came to an end, most couples received the clarity they needed after their one-on-one session with AJ Johnson.
For this exercise, the couples had to come clean about their own truth. They had to open up what was on their mind and why they were behaving the way they were. Though many got the clarity they needed, it all boiled down to the next day to see whether they decided to stick together and work through their issues.
Sadly, even though Daniel realized why he couldn't communicate his feelings properly or love someone, it wasn't enough for Jess. The Couples Retreat star decided that things wouldn't work out between them and decided to walk away from their relationship at the end of the retreat.
Couples Retreat airs every Monday night at 9 pm ET only on VH1. Readers can check local listings for more information.
