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

The Lemon Tree Coaching

Welcome to The Lemon Tree Coaching Podcast—where emotional depth meets grounded psychology. Hosted by Dr. Allison Sucamele, this podcast is a sanctuary for anyone ready to do the inner work, face their shadow, and cultivate a life that feels authentic, aligned, and alive.

Each episode explores the psychology behind emotions, relationships, nervous system healing, and self-awareness. Whether you're navigating heartbreak, burnout, betrayal, people-pleasing, or the desire for deeper meaning, you'll find thoughtful reflections, symbolic storytelling, and powerful insights to help you bloom—one truth at a time.

Grab a cup of tea, tune in, and come home to yourself.

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The Lemon Tree Coaching

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

December 24, 2025 • Dr. Allison Sucamele • Episode 146

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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 Resources

Brown, B. (2021). Atlas of the Heart
May, K. (2020). Wintering
van der Kolk, B. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score
Lieberman, M. et al. (2007). Putting feelings into words: Affect labeling and the amygdala
Pennebaker, J. (1997). Expressive writing and emotional processing
Porges, S. (2011). The Polyvagal Theory

🧠 Mental Health & Emotional Support Resources

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (U.S.) – Call or text 988
Psychology Today Therapist Directory – https://www.psychologytoday.com
Somatic Experiencing International – https://traumahealing.org
National 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 Disclaimer

The 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.