The Lemon Tree Coaching

Bonus Episode - Rewriting Old Emotional Rules

Ask The Lemon Tree Coaching Podcast a Question. Text the TLT Pod today.In today’s bonus episode of The Lemon Tree Coaching Podcast, Dr. Allison Sucamele offers a short, grounding reflection on something many of us don’t realize we’re still living by: old emotional rules.These are the quiet, unspoken agreements we made early in life about what it takes to stay safe, loved, or accepted - rules like don’t be too much, stay useful, don’t need anyone, keep the peace, or feel later. From a psychological lens, these rules weren’t flaws. They were adaptations. Your nervous system learned them in response to real environments and real constraints, and they helped you survive.But psychology also reminds us of something important: what once protected you can later imprison you.In this gentle reflection, we explore how the brain and nervous system hold onto outdated instructions, why insight alone isn’t enough to create change, and how healing happens through safety, permission, and small corrective emotional experiences. Rewriting emotional rules isn’t about erasing the past - it’s about updating the operating system so it fits the life you’re building now.This episode invites you to slow down, notice which rule might be running in the background, and experiment with offering yourself one small exception. Change doesn’t begin with force. It begins with permission. 🍋Mental Health Resources (U.S.)988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline – Call or text 988 for immediate emotional supportCrisis Text Line – Text HOME to 741741SAMHSA National Helpline – 1-800-662-HELP (4357) for mental health and substance use supportIf you are outside the U.S., please check local crisis resources in your country.Brief DisclaimerThis podcast is for educational and reflective purposes only and is not a substitute for therapy, diagnosis, or medical care. Healing and nervous system work are deeply personal, and everyone’s experience is unique. If this episode brings up distress or overwhelming emotions, consider reaching out to a qualified mental health professional or trusted support.

# 146 - The Importance of Processing Your Emotions (Not Managing Them Away)

Ask The Lemon Tree Coaching Podcast a Question. Text the TLT Pod today.In today’s episode of The Lemon Tree Coaching Podcast, we explore something deeply foundational to mental health, relationships, and identity: emotional processing.Not managing emotions.Not suppressing them.Not intellectualizing them away.But allowing emotions to move through the body so they can integrate rather than accumulate.We talk about why unprocessed emotions don’t disappear - they leak into the body, the nervous system, our thinking, and our relationships - and how chronic emotional suppression is linked to anxiety, burnout, numbness, and cognitive fatigue. Drawing from psychology, neuroscience, trauma research, and attachment theory, this episode breaks down what emotional processing actually means and why resistance drains more energy than feeling ever could.This episode offers grounded, psychology-informed ways to let emotions like sadness, anger, fear, and grief complete their natural cycles - without overwhelm, avoidance, or self-judgment. If you’ve ever felt emotionally foggy, exhausted from “holding it together,” or disconnected from your body, this conversation is for you. 📚 References & Learning ResourcesBrown, B. (2021). Atlas of the HeartMay, K. (2020). Winteringvan der Kolk, B. (2014). The Body Keeps the ScoreLieberman, M. et al. (2007). Putting feelings into words: Affect labeling and the amygdalaPennebaker, J. (1997). Expressive writing and emotional processingPorges, S. (2011). The Polyvagal Theory🧠 Mental Health & Emotional Support Resources988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (U.S.) – Call or text 988Psychology Today Therapist Directory – https://www.psychologytoday.comSomatic Experiencing International – https://traumahealing.orgNational Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) – https://www.nami.org(If you’re outside the U.S., please check local crisis and mental-health services in your country.)⚠️ Gentle DisclaimerThe Lemon Tree Coaching Podcast is for educational and reflective purposes only and is not a substitute for therapy, diagnosis, or medical treatment. Each listener’s experience is unique. Please take what resonates, leave what doesn’t, and care for yourself with compassion. If you’re experiencing significant distress or feel unsafe, seek support from a licensed mental-health professional or local emergency services.

Bonus Episode: A One-Minute Boundary Check - Noticing Where Your Energy Is Leaking

Ask The Lemon Tree Coaching Podcast a Question. Text the TLT Pod today.Today’s episode is short, grounding, and practical, a one-minute pause you can return to anytime you feel drained, resentful, scattered, or quietly exhausted without knowing why.In A One-Minute Boundary Check, Dr. Allison Sucamele guides you through a gentle self-inquiry to help you notice where your energy is leaking before burnout forces your nervous system to speak louder. Drawing on Polyvagal Theory, Jungian psychology, and boundary research, this episode explores how boundaries are not just interpersonal, but neurological, and how overriding your limits keeps your body in a chronic state of stress.This is not journaling, confrontation, or fixing. It’s awareness. One breath. One question at a time. A way to reconnect with your body’s signals, identify quiet resistance and resentment, and make small, honest shifts that protect your energy without guilt.Listen when you need grounding, clarity, or permission to pause, and remember: boundaries aren’t walls. They’re doors that let the right energy in. 🌿🍋Important Note:This episode is for educational and reflective purposes only and is not a substitute for therapy, diagnosis, or medical care. If this practice brings up intense emotions, distress, or memories, please consider reaching out to a qualified mental health professional for support.Mental Health Resources:If you are in the United States and need immediate support, you can call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24/7.If you are outside the U.S., please check local emergency services or visit findahelpline.com to locate crisis support in your country.

# 145: The Psychology Behind Panic Attacks - What’s Really Happening & What Helps

Ask The Lemon Tree Coaching Podcast a Question. Text the TLT Pod today.Panic attacks can feel terrifying, disorienting, and deeply personal, but they are not a failure of character or strength. In this episode of The Lemon Tree Coaching Podcast, we unpack what panic attacks actually are through a neuroscience-informed lens.We explore how the brain’s alarm system misfires, why panic often begins before conscious thought, and how the body’s survival wiring creates sensations that feel life-threatening, even when you’re not in danger. Drawing from research by Dr. Joseph LeDoux, Dr. Stephen Porges, Dr. Alicia Meuret, and others, this episode explains why panic loops form, why some nervous systems are more vulnerable, and why the aftermath can leave you feeling wiped out.We also dive into science-backed, real-time tools that interrupt panic as it’s happening - including breath regulation, orienting, temperature shifts, vagal stimulation, and yes, even sour candy. These are not trends - they’re bottom-up nervous system interventions grounded in research.If panic has ever made you feel broken, weak, or out of control, this episode offers clarity, compassion, and practical tools to help you understand what your body is trying to communicate, and how healing is possible.✨ Follow The Lemon Tree Coaching Podcast on Instagram for daily reflections, book recommendations, and nervous-system-informed support:👉 https://www.instagram.com/thelemontreecoaching📚 References & ResourcesLeDoux, J. (2015). Anxious: Using the Brain to Understand and Treat Fear and AnxietyClark, D. M., & Salkovskis, P. M. (1988). Catastrophic misinterpretation in panic disorderKendler, K. S. et al. (2001). Genetic epidemiology of panic disordervan der Kolk, B. (2014). The Body Keeps the ScorePorges, S. W. (2011). The Polyvagal TheoryMeuret, A. E. et al. (2012). Capnometry-assisted respiratory training for panic disorderLevine, P. (2010). In an Unspoken VoiceCraig, A. D. (2009). Interoception and awareness of bodily states⚠️ Brief DisclaimerThis podcast is for educational and reflective purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health care, medical advice, or diagnosis. If you are struggling or in crisis, please reach out to a qualified mental health professional or contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 (U.S.). If you are outside the U.S., please seek local support resources.

Bonus Episode - When Your Past Isn’t Done Being Felt Yet

Ask The Lemon Tree Coaching Podcast a Question. Text the TLT Pod today.Sometimes an old ache returns - a memory you thought you’d outgrown, a feeling you believed you’d healed, a reaction that surprises you. And the first thought many of us have is, “Why am I still dealing with this? I thought I was past it.”But emotional reactivation isn’t regression. It’s capacity.In this short bonus episode, Dr. Allison Sucamele breaks down the psychology behind why old wounds resurface just when life starts to feel steadier. Drawing on insights from trauma research and nervous system science, she explores how healing happens in layers, not all at once, and why your body often waits until you’re finally safe enough to process the deeper truths.If something from your past is bubbling up again, it doesn’t mean you’re going backward. It means your system trusts you now. You have more bandwidth, more resilience, more internal safety than you once did.This episode is your gentle reminder that you’re not unraveling - you’re unfolding.You’ll learn:🌿 Why the nervous system releases emotions in stages🌿 How to understand emotional residue without self-judgment🌿 What it really means when old patterns, memories, or wounds reappear🌿 How to meet these moments with curiosity instead of shame🌿 Why this is a sign of integration—not failureIf this bonus episode brings you comfort or clarity, feel free to share it with someone who’s been hard on themselves for “feeling things again.” They might need this reminder too.And if you missed Episode #144, The Library of You: Integrating Every Chapter, go back and give it a listen—it pairs beautifully with today’s message.Take what serves you, leave what doesn’t, and keep blooming in your own time. 💛🌿Disclaimer:This episode is for educational and reflective purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health care, diagnosis, or treatment. If you are struggling, in emotional distress, or concerned for your safety, please reach out to a licensed mental health professional. If you are in crisis or thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988 in the United States for immediate support. You are not alone.