Ask The Lemon Tree Coaching Podcast a Question. Text the TLT Pod today.

Why do we sometimes feel as though we've returned to an emotion we thought we had moved past? In this episode, Dr. Allison Sucamele takes us through five floors of an emotional elevator, exploring how memory, grief, fear, and growth can bring us to unexpected places. Wherever the foors open, the question is not "Why am I back here?" but "What might this floor be showing me?" 

The Elevator Effect is a metaphor for emotional experience, not an established psychological theory. 

References and Resources

1. Granovetter, M. S. (1973). The strength of weak ties. American Journal of Sociology, 78(6), 1360–1380.

Foundational sociological theory explaining how acquaintances connect otherwise separate social networks.

2. Sandstrom, G. M., & Dunn, E. W. (2014). Social interactions and well-being: The surprising power of weak ties. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 40(7), 910–922.

Research examining relationships between everyday interactions with acquaintances, happiness, and belonging.

3. Sandstrom, G. M., & Dunn, E. W. (2014). Is efficiency overrated? Minimal social interactions lead to belonging and positive affect. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 5(4), 437–442.

An experimental investigation of brief interactions with coffee-shop employees.

4. Epley, N., & Schroeder, J. (2014). Mistakenly seeking solitude. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 143(5), 1980–1999.

Experiments examining commuters' predictions about, and experiences of, interacting with strangers.

5. Aron, A., Melinat, E., Aron, E. N., Vallone, R. D., & Bator, R. J. (1997). The experimental generation of interpersonal closeness: A procedure and some preliminary findings. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 23(4), 363–377.

Research on structured, reciprocal self-disclosure and feelings of interpersonal closeness.

6. Altman, I., & Taylor, D. A. (1973). Social Penetration: The Development of Interpersonal Relationships. Holt, Rinehart & Winston.

Foundational theoretical work on how relationships develop through changing patterns of self-disclosure.

7. Conway, M. A., & Pleydell-Pearce, C. W. (2000). The construction of autobiographical memories in the self-memory system. Psychological Review, 107(2), 261–288.

A theoretical model of how autobiographical memories are organized and constructed.

The Savory Reader Stack & Movie Recs

The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker

Before Sunrise (1995) - Directed by Richard Linklater.

Lost in Translation (2003) - Directed by Sofia Coppola.

Journal Prompt

Think of a stranger or acquaintance whose brief presence in your life remains memorable.

What do you remember about the encounter? What did the person actually say or do? Has the meaning of that interaction changed over time?

Optional exercise: Notice one ordinary social interaction this week. Without forcing conversation or changing your boundaries, reflect on how it affects your sense of connection.

Disclaimer

This episode is intended for educational and reflective purposes. It is not a substitute for individualized psychological or mental-health care. Social interaction is not universally beneficial, and personal boundaries, safety, accessibility, and individual needs should always be respected.

If you are experiencing emotional distress or need immediate support in the United States, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Ask The Lemon Tree Coaching Podcast a Question. Text the TLT Pod today.

What if the seasons of our lives that feel darkest are not empty, but transformative?

In this episode of The Lemon Tree Coaching Podcast, Dr. Allison Sucamele explores the myth of Persephone as a psychological story of descent, grief, identity, feminine power, and becoming. Beyond its familiar explanation of the changing seasons, Persephone’s journey offers a powerful metaphor for the moments when life interrupts who we thought we were—and asks us to become someone new.

Through mythology, psychology, and the symbolism of autumn, we explore what it means to descend into difficult seasons, live for a while in the space between identities, and eventually return—not as the person who left, but as someone changed by what happened in the dark.

Because sometimes transformation does not begin with blooming.

Sometimes it begins underground.

References and Further Reading

• The Homeric Hymn to Demeter, the earliest surviving extended literary account of Persephone’s abduction, Demeter’s search, the pomegranate seed, and Persephone’s return: University of Houston translation
• Helene P. Foley, The Homeric Hymn to Demeter: Translation, Commentary, and Interpretive Essays: Princeton University Press edition
• C. G. Jung, The Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious
• Pauline Boss, The Myth of Closure: Ambiguous Loss in a Time of Pandemic and Change
• Richard G. Tedeschi and Lawrence G. Calhoun, research on post-traumatic growth
• Clarissa Pinkola Estés, Women Who Run With the Wolves
• Francis Weller, The Wild Edge of Sorrow
• Susan David, Emotional Agility
• The Fitzwilliam Museum’s overview of the Demeter and Persephone myth: The Story of Demeter and Persephone

Brief Disclaimer

This podcast is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It is not a substitute for individualized mental-health care, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are struggling with grief, trauma, depression, or another mental-health concern, please consider seeking support from a qualified professional.

If you are in the United States and experiencing a mental-health crisis or thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. If you are in immediate danger, call 911 or your local emergency number.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Ask The Lemon Tree Coaching Podcast a Question. Text the TLT Pod today.

As school schedules, children’s activities, and holiday preparations begin to replace summer’s slower rhythms, the autumn equinox offers a fleeting image of balance—day and night almost perfectly divided before everything changes again.

In this episode of The Lemon Tree Coaching Podcast, Dr. Allison Sucamele explores why balance is not a fixed destination, but an ongoing process of adjustment. Drawing on the psychological concept of allostasis—or achieving stability through change—she considers the difference between healthy adaptation and simply becoming accustomed to circumstances that may not be good for us. 

References & Resources

• Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times⁠ by Katherine May⁠
• The September House⁠ by Carissa Orlando⁠
• The Seasons, Equinoxes, and Solstices — National Weather Service⁠
• Allostasis and Allostatic Load: Stability Through Change⁠
• Work-Life Harmony, Flexibility, and Healthy Boundaries — American Psychological Association⁠

This podcast is intended for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health care, diagnosis, or treatment. If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis or having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in the United States. If you are in immediate danger, call 911 or your local emergency services.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Ask The Lemon Tree Coaching Podcast a Question. Text the TLT Pod today.

What happens when a haunted house, a locked room, or a returning ghost begins to feel like a mirror? In this episode, Dr. Allison Sucamele explores how magical realism transforms grief, memory, identity, and the hidden parts of the self into symbolic realities we can see and feel. Through Carl Jung’s ideas about archetypes, the shadow, and individuation—alongside Dan McAdams’s work on narrative identity—we consider how symbols help us recognize ourselves before we have the language to explain what we recognize.

This week’s Savory Reader Stack also features Dr. Sucamele’s first children’s book, Hootie Little Bear From the Moon, a gentle story about loneliness, connection, and the quiet ways we remain close across distance.

🌙 Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HFCCM1NG
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hootiesuniverse/

References & Resources 

Jung, Archetypes, and the Shadow

• Jung, C. G. (1964). Man and His Symbols. A highly accessible introduction to Jung’s ideas about dreams, archetypes, symbols, the unconscious, and individuation. View on Google Books
• Jung, C. G. (1969). The Archetypes and the Collective Unconscious (Collected Works, Vol. 9, Part 1). Princeton University Press. Jung’s foundational exploration of archetypes, recurring symbolic patterns, and the collective unconscious. View on JSTOR
• Jung, C. G. (1969). Aion: Researches Into the Phenomenology of the Self (Collected Works, Vol. 9, Part 2). Princeton University Press. The opening chapters examine the ego, shadow, anima, animus, and Self. Overview from the International Association for Analytical Psychology
• Jung, C. G. (1966). Two Essays on Analytical Psychology (Collected Works, Vol. 7). Princeton University Press. Explores the relationship between the conscious and unconscious mind and introduces individuation as a movement toward psychological wholeness. View on Google Books
• Jung, C. G. (1963). Memories, Dreams, Reflections. A partly autobiographical account of Jung’s dreams, visions, intellectual development, and encounters with the unconscious. View on Google Books
• International Association for Analytical Psychology. “The Shadow.” A concise explanation of how disowned characteristics can become part of the personal shadow and appear symbolically as doubles, echoes, and alter egos. Read the article
• Society of Analytical Psychology. “The Jungian Shadow.” An accessible discussion of confronting and integrating the shadow. Read the article

Narrative Identity and the Stories We Carry

• McAdams, D. P., & McLean, K. C. (2013). “Narrative Identity.” Current Directions in Psychological Science, 22(3), 233–238. Explains how people create evolving life stories that connect the reconstructed past with an imagined future. Read through JSTOR
• McAdams, D. P. (1993). The Stories We Live By: Personal Myths and the Making of the Self. Guilford Press. Examines how identity is shaped through the stories people repeatedly tell about their experiences. Publisher information
• McAdams, D. P. (2001). “The Psychology of Life Stories.” Review of General Psychology, 5(2), 100–122. A foundational academic discussion of how autobiographical narratives organize identity and meaning. Article information
• Northwestern University Department of Psychology. “Dan McAdams.” Overview of McAdams’s research on narrative psychology, autobiographical memory, identity, generativity, and recurring themes in personal stories. Faculty profile
• Northwestern University. “The Stories in Our Minds.” An accessible introduction to narrative identity and McAdams’s life-story model. Read the article

Memory, Meaning, and Reconsolidation

• Nader, K. (2015). “Reconsolidation and the Dynamic Nature of Memory.” Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology, 7(10). Explores how retrieving a long-term memory can temporarily make it open to modification before it is stored again. Read through the National Library of Medicine
• Squire, L. R., Genzel, L., Wixted, J. T., & Morris, R. G. M. (2015). “Memory Consolidation.” Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology, 7(8). Reviews how memories become stabilized and reorganized over time. Read through the National Library of Medicine
• Beckers, T., & Kindt, M. (2017). “Memory Reconsolidation Interference as an Emerging Treatment for Emotional Disorders.” Reviews research into the possible updating of emotional memories and the limitations of applying reconsolidation findings clinically. Read through the National Library of Medicine

Magical Realism and Symbolic Storytelling

• Oxford Reference. “Magic Realism.” A concise literary definition of fiction in which fabulous or fantastical events appear within an otherwise realistic narrative. 
• Duquesne University, Gumberg Library. “Magical Realism: A Research Guide.” A collection of reference materials, critical sources, databases, authors, and major works associated with magical realism. 

Disclaimer: This content is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Need immediate support? In the U.S., call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. If you are in immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

Ask The Lemon Tree Coaching Podcast a Question. Text the TLT Pod today.

What if grief became weather, memory became architecture, and hope bloomed beneath our feet? In this two-part exploration, Dr. Allison Sucamele examines how magical realism makes our inner lives visible through metaphor, symbolism, archetypes, memory, imagination, and story. Discover why the impossible can sometimes reveal what is most humanly true—and help us understand ourselves in ways facts alone cannot.

As always, this podcast is intended for educational and informational purposes and is not a substitute for therapy, diagnosis, or individualized mental health care. 

If today’s conversation brought up difficult emotions, please give yourself permission to pause, ground yourself, and reach out for support. 

If you are in the United States and experiencing a mental health crisis or thoughts of suicide, call or text **988** to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. If you are in immediate danger, call **911**. If you live outside the United States, please contact the crisis or emergency resources available in your area.

Ask The Lemon Tree Coaching Podcast a Question. Text the TLT Pod today.

Certainty gives us answers. Curiosity gives us room to discover whether those answers are actually true.

In this bonus episode of The Lemon Tree Coaching Podcast, Dr. Allison Sucamele explores why the brain is so eager to resolve uncertainty—and how our need for cognitive closure can sometimes turn assumptions into conclusions before we have all the information.

We’ll look at confirmation bias, the psychological power of saying “I don’t know yet,” and how curiosity can change the way we approach conflict, relationships, and even the stories we tell about ourselves.

🎧 Listen wherever you get your favorite podcasts.

🍋 The Lemon Tree Coaching Podcast — Where inner work meets everyday life.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health care, diagnosis, or treatment.

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: 988lifeline.org

In the U.S., you can also call or text 988 for 24/7 crisis support.

Ask The Lemon Tree Coaching Podcast a Question. Text the TLT Pod today.

What happens when you still love the work—but the environment surrounding it becomes impossible to love?

In Episode #178 of The Lemon Tree Coaching Podcast, we explore a particularly complicated kind of workplace grief: when a toxic culture changes your relationship with a job that once gave you meaning, purpose, identity, and joy.

We’ll talk about chronic workplace stress, burnout, psychological safety, loss of trust, moral injury, and the strange grief of realizing that sometimes you didn’t stop loving the work—the conditions around the work made loving it unsustainable.

The World Health Organization describes burnout as an occupational phenomenon resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed, characterized by exhaustion, increasing psychological distance or cynicism toward work, and reduced professional efficacy. Research and guidance from the American Psychological Association also point to the significant psychological toll toxic workplaces can take on employees.

This episode is about separating the job you loved from the environment that hurt you, grieving what was lost, and considering an important possibility:

Maybe losing the environment doesn't have to mean losing the part of you that loved the work.

📚 Related Reading

• The Burnout Challenge — Christina Maslach & Michael P. Leiter
• Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle — Emily Nagoski & Amelia Nagoski
• The Fearless Organization — Amy C. Edmondson
• Set Boundaries, Find Peace — Nedra Glover Tawwab
• Man’s Search for Meaning — Viktor E. Frankl

🔎 Additional Resources

• World Health Organization — Burn-out as an occupational phenomenon
• American Psychological Association — Toxic workplaces and employee well-being
• American Psychological Association — Understanding workplace burnout

🎧 The Lemon Tree Coaching Podcast
Where inner work meets everyday life.

Disclaimer: This podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for psychotherapy, medical care, diagnosis, legal advice, or individualized mental-health treatment. If workplace experiences are significantly affecting your mental or physical health, consider reaching out to a qualified professional for support.

💛 Need support? In the United States, you can call or text 988 or use the 988 Lifeline's online chat for free, confidential crisis support.
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

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Why do societies so often hold victims responsible while overlooking those who caused the harm?

In this bonus episode, Dr. Allison Sucamele explores one of the most psychologically significant aspects of Ovid's Metamorphoses: after Medusa is assaulted by Poseidon, it is Medusa—not Poseidon—whose life is permanently altered.

Drawing on psychology, Dr. Sucamele examines victim blaming through Melvin Lerner's Just World Hypothesis, Judith Herman's work on trauma, and the concept of institutional betrayal. Together, these ideas help explain why people sometimes focus on the behavior of those who were harmed rather than the actions of those who caused the harm.

Using Medusa's story as a symbolic lens, this short bonus episode invites listeners to consider where accountability belongs, how trauma changes the way people are perceived, and what it means to build communities that protect rather than punish.

Books Mentioned

• Metamorphoses — Ovid
• Trauma and Recovery — Judith Herman
• The Belief in a Just World: A Fundamental Delusion — Melvin J. Lerner

Resources

• National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): https://www.nami.org
• Psychology Today Therapist Directory: https://www.psychologytoday.com
• Open Path Psychotherapy Collective: https://openpathcollective.org
• Therapy for Black Girls: https://therapyforblackgirls.com
• Therapy for Black Men: https://therapyforblackmen.org

Disclaimer

The Lemon Tree Coaching Podcast is intended for educational and informational purposes only and should not be considered medical, psychological, or mental health advice. Listening to this podcast does not establish a therapeutic relationship. If you are experiencing significant emotional distress, please seek support from a licensed mental health professional or your healthcare provider.

Crisis Resources (U.S.)

If you or someone you know is in immediate danger or experiencing a mental health crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24 hours a day. If there is an immediate emergency, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency department.

Ask The Lemon Tree Coaching Podcast a Question. Text the TLT Pod today.

Was Medusa ever really the monster?

In this episode of The Lemon Tree Coaching Podcast, Dr. Allison Sucamele explores one of mythology's most enduring and misunderstood figures through the lenses of Greek mythology, psychology, trauma research, and Jungian symbolism. Moving beyond the familiar image of the snake-haired Gorgon, we examine the earliest myths, Ovid's influential retelling, and why Medusa's story continues to resonate more than two thousand years later.

Together, we'll explore the psychological meaning of Medusa's transformation, the symbolism of her serpents, her petrifying gaze, the role of shame, trauma, projection, and identity, and why myths continue to function as mirrors for the human psyche. We'll also discuss Perseus' mirrored shield as a metaphor for healing through reflection, the symbolism of Pegasus and Chrysaor, post-traumatic growth, and how the Gorgoneion transformed from a symbol of fear into one of protection.

Along the way, we'll draw from the work of Carl Jung, Joseph Campbell, Clarissa Pinkola Estés, Stephen Porges, Judith Herman, Bessel van der Kolk, Donald Kalsched, Richard Tedeschi, and Lawrence Calhoun while carefully distinguishing between the ancient myths themselves and the psychological meanings later generations have found within them.

This episode also examines one of the most difficult questions raised by Ovid's Metamorphoses: Why is Medusa transformed instead of protected, and why does Poseidon escape accountability? Rather than offering simplistic answers, we explore the scholarly debates surrounding Ovid's version and what they may reveal about power, injustice, survival, and compassion.

Whether you're fascinated by Greek mythology, psychology, literature, trauma, symbolism, or simply love exploring the deeper meanings hidden within ancient stories, this episode offers a thoughtful journey into one of mythology's most compelling figures.

In This Week's Savory Reader Stack
📚 Women Who Run With the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estés
📚 Man and His Symbols by Carl Jung

Resources Mentioned
• Fan-created Medusa concept trailer (inspiration only—not an official film)
• Amazon Medusa commercial

• The Lemon Tree by AKS classroom resources for mythology, literature, and psychology

The Myth of Medusa TED Ed Lesson

Content Note: This episode includes discussion of sexual assault, trauma, victimization, betrayal, and psychological distress as they appear in the myth of Medusa and Ovid's Metamorphoses. Listener discretion is advised.

The Lemon Tree Coaching Podcast is for educational and informational purposes only and is not a substitute for psychotherapy, medical care, or professional mental health treatment.

Crisis Resources

If you are in the United States and are experiencing a mental health crisis or emotional distress, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you are in immediate danger or believe someone else's safety is at risk, call 911 or your local emergency services immediately.

If you are outside the United States, please contact your country's local crisis or emergency mental health services.

Listen on: Apple Podcasts   Spotify

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What if the most important moment in the Garden of Eden happened before the forbidden fruit? In this bonus episode, Dr. Allison Sucamele explores William Blake's Satan Watching the Endearments of Adam and Eve through the lenses of psychology, literature, and art. Together, we'll examine the quiet moment before the Fall, the emergence of self-consciousness, Jung's concept of the Shadow, and the power of the inner observer that shapes how we see ourselves. Join us for a thoughtful reflection on curiosity, consciousness, and the voices that influence our inner lives—and discover why Blake's visionary illustration remains as psychologically relevant today as it was over two centuries ago.

Resources

The Huntington Library (with curatorial notes):
Illustration 5 to Milton's *Paradise Lost*: *Satan Watching the Endearments of Adam and Eve*