Mother, Actress, Disruptor: Alyshia Ochse on Playing by Her Own Rules

Welcome to Say More, the podcast where we go beyond the performance. In this series, I sit down with creators, healers, and thought leaders to explore how they navigate life’s crossroads—especially when the old scripts no longer serve.

Today’s guest is Alyshia Ochse—actress, bestselling author, podcast host, entrepreneur, and mother. You might know her from her role as “Lucy,” opposite Matthew McConaughey, in HBO’s True Detective.

We talk about what it really means to balance ambition and motherhood, how people-pleasing dilutes your presence, and what midlife demands from women who refuse to settle. Alyshia shares deeply earned wisdom on the unraveling of Hollywood’s old systems, the creative power of rest, and what it takes to rewrite your own definition of success.

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🎙️ Connect with Alyshia

Website: alyshiaochse.com

Instagram: @alyshiaochse

Work with Alyshia: Consultations Available Here

💫 Connect with Brooke

Instagram: @brookielyons

Substack: We Need to Talk About

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🔑 Key Themes

* Redefining success in a shifting creative landscape

* The myth of balance (and what replaces it)

* Boundaries as a form of self-respect

* Why midlife isn’t a crisis—it’s a recalibration

* How to sustain a creative career without burning out

* Collaboration over competition in an industry in flux

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🧭 Chapters

00:00 Navigating Career & Motherhood

03:31 Boundaries & People Pleasing

06:19 Authenticity in Professionalism

09:14 Shifting Perspectives in Midlife

11:46 Breaking Out of Old Stories

17:29 The Changing Landscape of the Industry

19:48 Surviving as a Middle-Class Actor

23:00 Embracing Multi-Hyphenate Careers

34:22 Industry-Wide Changes in Actors’ Paychecks

35:23 Understanding the Business of Acting

37:43 The Role of Networking in Acting

38:38 Embracing the Unknown in Career Paths

39:34 Aligning Personal Cycles with Professional Opportunities

42:14 The Necessity of Rest and Recovery

44:20 Exploring Creativity Beyond Acting

47:55 The Power of Self-Care in the Creative Process

51:22 Navigating Auditions in a Virtual World

56:49 Curiosity Over Competition in the Industry

59:49 Staying Positive in a Heavy World

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🧰 Resources

* We reference the Skye P. Marshall episode of That One Audition Podcast

* Read Alyshia’s bestselling book, Life Letters

* Coach or Consult with Alyshia

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🎙 Hosted by Brooke Lyons

Actress, writer, mother, mystic, and voice behind Say More—a podcast that explores identity, reinvention, and what happens when you stop performing and start telling the truth.

Get full access to We Need to Talk About... with Brooke Lyons at brookelyons.substack.com/subscribe