Episode Description
You know the exact thing that would help. The phrase, the reframe, the tool your therapist gave you that one time. And in the moment your brain gets loud, it goes blank.
Emily and Lindsay Stetzer are sisters. They both live with OCD and anxiety, and during COVID, in matching sweatsuits, they built a company called Presently that puts the reminders from therapy on your wrist, your keys, and your bathroom mirror. Alysse and Amy Liz Harrison met them at OCDCon in Seattle, bought one of everything, and brought them on to talk about why "good vibes only" is the enemy, why everyone has these thoughts, and what it is like to run a business with your sister when one of you has the 'tude.
In this episode:
- The OCDCon origin story: stickers, fidget spinners, and then a disco light at the end of the tunnel
- Lindsay on lining up shoes and light switches, and Emily on the anxious kid who confessed to things that didn't need confessing
- Why OCD is not about cleanliness, and why every single person has had these thoughts
- Alysse's green-light rule, Amy's 20 lightsabers, and the "border hoarders" theory
- The "Good vibes only" sign over Emily's bed, and why those mantras hand OCD exactly what it wants
- The six phrases, whiteboarded: passing clouds, embrace uncertainty, brave the uncomfortable
- Feelings are like gas (clouds are a nicer way to say it)
- The iPad quiz, why Presently is the name, and the invisible brother
- What we're watching: "Ted Lasso" season four, Hilary Duff, "Silo," and why a scary show is good exposure therapy
CHAPTERS
00:00 Cold open: the reminder you can't remember
01:58 Why sobriety doesn't fix the blank
02:58 Meet Emily and Lindsay Stetzer
03:10 OCDCon and the disco light at the end of the tunnel
05:21 Amy buys one of everything
06:40 Lindsay: shoes, light switches, existential OCD
09:38 Emily: the anxious kid and relationship OCD
11:22 A word from Aura House
12:12 Alysse's green-light rule and magical thinking
14:01 Why this is on a sobriety podcast
14:57 Border hoarders and 20 lightsabers
16:49 "What if" and the need for certainty
19:08 Not a live, laugh, love situation
20:36 The "Good vibes only" sign over the bed
24:41 The matching sweatsuit pitch
27:17 The six phrases, whiteboarded
30:39 Feelings are like gas
31:18 Why "Presently"
39:04 Working with your sister
41:52 What they didn't see coming
44:27 Watching: "Ted Lasso," Hilary Duff, "Silo"
46:29 ERP: facing the fear on purpose
47:38 Backstage, and why merch starts conversations
49:29 Where to find Presently
Sober Shots:
"We are not in a live, laugh, love situation here, okay?" (Alysse Bryson)
"Every single person has had the same thoughts that we have. It's just to the extreme that you take them to." (Lindsay Stetzer)
Mentioned in this episode:
- Take the Presently "find your reminder" quiz
- Alysse's feature on Presently
- Backstage with The Sober Curator
- International OCD Foundation
Presently's products are reminders, not treatment. If you think you might have OCD or anxiety, talk to a licensed professional.
Getting sober matters. Staying sober matters more.
SEASON 2 MERCH: https://shopthesobercurator.com/
This episode is brought to you by Aura House. Save 10% with code TSC10: https://go.shopmy.us/p-64140200
SC RESOURCES:
- Alcohol + Substance Use Disorder Guide
- Recovery Nonprofit Resource Guide
- LGBTQ+ Recovery Resource Guide
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Hosted by Alysse Bryson with co-host + producer Tamar Routly. For informational and entertainment purposes only; not a substitute for professional advice.
Music: TSC S2 theme "Sober Shots" created by Alysse Bryson using Suno AI, under Suno's commercial license.