S2/ E3: Relationships: Dating, Masking, and Figuring it Out

In this first half of the conversation, Erin and Amanda welcome MacKenzie and her husband, Eric, into Season 2’s focus on relationship shifts after TBI; specifically romantic partnership. Mackenzie and Eric share their origin story, how early disclosure of her accident did (and didn’t) shape their relationship, and what “masking” looked like as she tried to be “just MacKenzie” in college. Eric reflects on how TBI impacts can be invisible at first, but become clearer with time, deeper conversation, and noticing patterns, especially around fatigue and sensory overload. Together, they explore the emotional cost of overcompensating, the search for accommodations without shame, and the hard balance between wanting grace without being reduced to an identity.