Dr. Darcy Sterling met her future wife, Stephanie M. Sterling, in 2004 while pursuing a PhD in social work at New York University. Stephanie, who was getting her Master’s in social work, joined Darcy’s practice, Alternatives Adolescent Counseling Center, soon after, and when the name was changed to Alternatives Counseling and a new company was formed, it felt like a given that she would become a co-owner.
The therapist duo are also big fans of separating work and life. “Before Covid, it was much easier because we had a rule: on the nights that we walked home together and had a physical boundary in place, we stopped talking about work and clients at a certain point that was very close to our apartment,” Steph explains. “Now, we schedule in time for work and time for personal life, which is especially difficult since everything is happening at home and we no longer have the physical boundary.
A year later, in 2017, Markar left his job in the startup world to join the candle-making efforts full-time, in the wake of Cook-Stone’s parents’ passing. “Abigail not only needed operational help getting Otherland off the ground, but she needed emotional support,” he explains. “I was also in a place where I was looking to shift into a category of business where I could relate more to the customer. So, on paper it made sense, and emotionally it felt right.
She and Markar rely on the help of therapy to ensure their romantic relationship doesn’t get overlooked. “Using a therapist has helped Sayyid and I manage our professional and romantic relationships in a healthy way,” Cook-Stone notes. “Hearing from a third party is beneficial when you spend so much time with someone, and it encourages you to look at things from a fresh perspective.
Chef Bradley Nicholson and pastry chef Susana Querejazu trace their romance back to Austin’s food scene, where they met working at an old-school Italian restaurant 11 years ago. And while the couple had since made waves in other markets, including San Francisco, they decided to return to the Texas capital to join Commodore Perry Estate’s dining program. “We have and had always planned on working together in future projects,” says Querejazu.