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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.

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.