Meet the NeuroMoms, Erin and Amanda and find out why Lights On just might be the podcast you need.
S1/E6: Part 3: Returning to Life, School, & Identity After a TBI
We close out the series with what comes after survival: rebuilding daily life. MacKenzie talks about finding her footing in high school again and seeing the world differently. She also shares her perspective on what caregivers need—especially when they forget to ask for help. This episode is about growth, resilience, and the quiet light that leads us back into the world.
S1/E4: Part 1: Show me what happened
We recently had MacKenzie, the daughter NMC co-founder, Amanda, on the pod. We broke her interview into 3 parts. We open this series with something rarely talked about: the power of visual memory. MacKenzie takes us inside her experience of piecing her life back together after her accident, using pictures and videos as both a timeline and a lifeline. This episode is about reclaiming your story—and the beauty of seeing your growth in real time.
S1/E5: Part 2: Protecting Those Who Can’t Protect Themselves
In part two of our interview, we talk about what happens when a survivor can’t advocate for their own safety. MacKenzie shares what helped protect her in those vulnerable early days, and what families can do when they’re suddenly thrust into the role of medical guardian. It’s a conversation about voice, boundaries, and the fierce love that shows up when it’s needed most.
S1/E3: The Light We Expect
vs. The Light We Get
In Episode 3 of Lights On, Amanda and Erin explore one of the most tender parts of the TBI caregiving journey: the people you expected to show up… and the ones who actually did. They talk openly about the grief of realizing some relationships shift or disappear during crisis, and how that grief piles onto an already unbearable moment.
But woven through this episode is light — the unexpected helpers, the quiet kindnesses, the small and enormous ways people stepped in and illuminated the path forward. This is a conversation about letting go, holding on, and finding joy in the places you never imagined it would appear.
S1/E2: Finding the Glimmers
Episode 2 of Lights On takes listeners back to the raw first 24 hours of Amanda and Erin’s journeys through their children’s TBIs. They speak candidly about the fear and grief that consumed those early moments, but also about the surprising warmth that broke through the darkness—gentle comforts, unexpected kindnesses, and the people who showed up with open hearts.
Amid the shock and chaos, they remember the small moments of laughter that somehow made space for breath and reminded them they were still human. They reflect on the glimmers they recognized instantly, and the ones that took time to unfold. This episode is an invitation to witness how beauty, connection, humor, and humanity persist—even on the hardest days—and how those tiny sparks can illuminate the path forward.
S1/E1: Lights On!
In our very first episode, Lights On: Moms Finding the Light in Each Other, NeuroMoms Collective founders Amanda Ream and Erin Palmer share how their parallel journeys as parents of brain injury survivors led them to create this community.
We talk about the supportive role of Love Your Brain, the twists and turns of our different paths, and the shared mission that brought us together: helping other parents navigate the overwhelming world of traumatic brain injury. Amanda’s experience is grounded in her Christian faith, while Erin takes a science-first, non-religious approach—and we want listeners to know there’s room here for every perspective. No matter your background, you’re welcome in this conversation.
Resource: Love Your Brain / https://www.loveyourbrain.com/
S1/E11: Part 2:
Grief, Growth, & Joy for Siblings
In Part 2 of Lights On, the conversation shifts into the tender realities of loving someone through long-term change and loss. Olivia and Sadie reflect on how support systems, friendships, and letting themselves be kids helped them navigate trauma and distance, guilt and joy. The family shares heartfelt stories about connection, hardship, and the complex grief of relationships that look different after brain injury. Erin and Amanda speak openly about therapy, unconditional love, difficult feelings we’re taught not to say out loud, and how compassion — for ourselves and each other — becomes a source of strength. This episode offers raw insight, compassion, and moments of laughter as a reminder that even in the hardest stories, there can be light.
S1/E10: Part 1:
Siblings in the Aftermath of TBI
In Part 1 of Lights On, Erin and Amanda are joined by their daughters, Sadie and Olivia, for an honest conversation about what it’s like to be the sibling of a traumatic brain injury survivor. Sadie shares how, at nine years old, her invisible injuries and anxiety were downplayed while the family focused on life-and-death survival—leaving her feeling frozen, overwhelmed, and guilty for years. Olivia reflects on supporting her brother from far away as a young adult, navigating distance, fairness, and the impossible feeling of not being able to show up “enough.” Together, they explore how siblings often carry abandonment, pressure, and grief quietly—and why support, trusted adults, and permission to feel it all matter. The episode closes on a powerful truth: joy and love still belong here—because if we don’t have joy, what are we fighting for?
S1/E9: How the Light of Family, and Community Holds Us Up
In this episode of Lights On, Erin and Amanda talk honestly about one of the hardest parts of TBI caregiving—realizing we can’t do it alone. They share the guilt, fear, and confusion that come with asking for help, and how friends, family, and even unexpected community members stepped in before they knew what they needed. From inner-circle supporters to the wider community offering meals, cards, and comfort, they explore what meaningful support looks like—and how to honor boundaries while still accepting the light others bring. The episode also introduces the NeuroMoms Comfort Kits, inspired by their own experiences arriving in the neuro ICU with nothing. A reminder for every caregiver: you don’t have to shine alone. Community is part of healing.
S1/E8: Part 2: Partnership and a Child’s TBI: How Communication Became the Light
Part 2: Our husbands step into the conversation to share what TBI caregiving looked and felt like from their side of the bed—missteps, escapes, regrets, resilience, and the lessons they learned the hard way. Together we talk presence, patience, parenting under pressure, and the glimmers that helped us keep going when everything felt impossible.
S1/E7: Part 1: Real Talk from the Husbands: Lessons, Missteps, & Doing Better
Our husbands step into the conversation to share what TBI caregiving looked and felt like from their side of the bed—missteps, escapes, regrets, resilience, and the lessons they learned the hard way. Together we talk presence, patience, parenting under pressure, and the glimmers that helped us keep going when everything felt impossible.