That momentum is something Batula doesn’t take for granted. Not long ago, even routine parts of travel — packing a bag, getting out the door, and making it to the airport — felt paralyzing. “I’d back out of things, or just lie in bed telling Kyle [Cooke] I couldn’t even start packing because I was so overwhelmed.” After being diagnosed with depression and anxiety in 2023, Batula began working with a psychiatrist and taking antidepressant medication. Now, tasks that once felt insurmountable have become manageable, which means Amanda is saying yes to events, trips, and work opportunities that she would have previously passed on. “I don’t get overwhelmed, it doesn’t take me a full day to pack. I can throw together a bag. It’s just so much easier,” Batula says.
