What is TRE?
TRE stands for Tension and Trauma Release Exercises. It’s a set of exercises that are designed to engender a natural tremor in the body. We use the tremors therapeutically to release muscle tension, calm the nervous system and to bring the body and mind back into balance.
It’s a very safe, natural process that all mammals have the ability to do. The practice is about teaching the body to remember how to do it. Below is an interesting video that shows an impala being caught by a leopard (he isn’t harmed). The impala goes into a state of freeze or playing dead as his nervous system becomes overwhelmed - in a clever mechanism that helps save his life. The leopard becomes distracted by a hyena and runs off. The impala is still frozen for a short time. He then begins to tremor, shaking off the excess cortisol and adrenaline from his system, before getting up and walking off and continuing with his day. I like this video because I think it shows how tremoring is a very natural or in fact vital process for mammals to use to help us recover from tension and trauma.
Some describe the sensation as being quite soothing, relaxing or meditative. Sometimes peoples tremors are quite expressive and sometimes the tremors are very fine and like a ripple through the body or sometimes just in the legs. Everybody’s tremors are different and they typically change over time.
I’ve personally found TRE very helpful for old injuries, such as RSI in my wrist, pain in the lower back due to a slipped disc, shoulder tension and period pain. I have also found TRE helpful as a tool to manage anxiety and related insomnia.
TRE was founded by Dr David Berceli, an American man with a background in psychotherapy, bodywork and many years’ work in conflict and trauma zones. From Dr Berceli’s areas of expertise he began to understand that the tremor response appears to be the body’s own built-in system for releasing tension and trauma and stress. It is a wonderful tool as once you have learned the process, it is a freely available practice that you can do at your own pace and for many, it becomes a part of life.
TRE has been helping many thousands of people around the world over the past two decades and continues to grow in reach and popularity.
Two important elements of TRE are grounding and self regulation. At the start of the process we move into our bodies, so that we can feel our feet on the floor and the presence of our body in the room and a general feeling of calm and wellbeing. That’s the place we want to stay throughout the process and if we start to move away from that place. I, as your provider will give you tools to bring you back to that place. Self regulation just means that you are in control of your tremors and your process. So, although the tremoring is about allowing the body to lead and relaxing in to the practice, the tremors can also be brought to a pause at any time, by you. And we encourage people to check in with themselves to see how they are feeling throughout the practice.
Less is more in TRE and we go slowly, at your pace and as a provider, I will be there to offer support and guide your process.
Email me if you would like to discuss beginning your TRE journey. I am currently offering online one to one sessions, but will soon be offering in person small groups and one to ones.