For years, Amanda Batula’s love story with Kyle Cooke was defined by damage control — tearful nights, broken trust, and the exhausting cycle of loving someone who never quite grew up. But now, she’s rewriting the narrative.
“I used to feel like his babysitter — always watching, always worrying. That’s not love. That’s survival,” Amanda admits.
Letting Go of the Past — Without Forgetting
The Summer House star reflects on the turning point in their marriage: a moment when she realized that love couldn’t thrive under the weight of resentment. “I was still holding onto every mistake he made — and punishing both of us for it,” she confesses. “It wasn’t fair to either of us.”
“I Can’t Fix Him — But I Can Choose Myself”
Amanda says she stopped trying to change Kyle — and started changing how she showed up in their relationship. “He’s not perfect. But I had to ask myself: do I love him for who he is, or for who I keep hoping he’ll become?”
The answer didn’t come easy — but it brought freedom.
From Codependent to Connected
The couple now say they’re working on a real partnership — one where Amanda isn’t the emotional caretaker, and Kyle is finally stepping up as an equal.
“We used to think love meant always being there to pick up the pieces,” she says. “Now I know love means not breaking each other in the first place.”
