TRE tremors

What is TRE®?

Everyone is suffering or has suffered, at some point in time, from an episode of stress. These episodes can be physical such as a fall or an accident and/or psychological, such as a separation, a loss, relational conflict etc. Any of these episodes can leave a mark in the body. Throughout our life, our muscles contract in order to protect us from what out mind-body feels is a threat. Whenever this tension is not liberated, it can become chronic and affect our vitality.

TRE®, Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercises, is a body-based, somatic technique that helps the body liberate deep patterns of tension, stress, and trauma allowing it to recover it’s state of balance and wellbeing.

TRE®, created by Dr. David Berceli, consists of a set of simple exercises that cause a natural vibration process called neurogenic tremors that liberate accumulated patterns of muscular tension. This tremoring originates in the center of the body (psoas muscle) and movilizes to other parts of the body. Through TRE®, we can work on primal parts of the brain, such as the limbic system and brainstem, in order to release trauma and engrained tension.

What is it for?

Shaking/tremoring is a natural response in mammals, it is the response of the organism to self-regulate and heal. The neurogenic tremors activated by TRE® relax the muscle tissue in a natural way, as this mechanism is coded in our DNA. What TRE® does is wake up and reactivate this natural mechanism of vibration within us.

This is why most people can benefit from this technique. The vibration in the muscles (neurogenic tremors) increases the body’s resiliency. It can alleviate emotions ranging from a disagreement to severe anxiety, regardless of whether it is caused by work-related stress, excessive worrying, relationship conflict, physical stress, or trauma.

What are the benefits?

Hurtful experiences, stress, and tension can be part of our daily life. However, we often do not realize how these experiences are stored in our memory and body. Different from other methods, this is designed to liberate the body from the muscle tension that is retained at a deep level, so that all systems (psychological, neurological, endocrine, nervous, and immune) can do their function and interact in order to maintain a healthy state.

Reported benefits from repeated practice include:

  • Less worry and anxiety

  • Reduction in stress and PTSD

  • Better sleep

  • More energy and endurance

  • Reduction in muscular tension

  • Greater emotional resiliency

  • Healing of old injuries

  • Nervous system regulation

  • Relaxation

  • Improved relationships

  • Reduction in symptoms of vicarious trauma

Who is TRE® for?

It benefits people that have experienced stress, tension, or a trauma. These are common experiences that if experienced intensely, or repeatedly, can create contractions in the muscles that can lead to pain, uncomfortable sensations, or illness. Practicing techniques like this one can prevent high levels of stress from developing into something chronic.

How do you practice it?

It is recommended to invest on several sessions with a certified TRE® provider that can help you monitor and guide your own process. Once the exercises have been learned and tremoring has been activated repeatedly, the process will be faster. With time, individuals have noticed that they are able to activate the release without the entire routine. After a few sessions with a provider, TRE® is a tool that you can continue using on your own.

To read about publications and research studies, click here.

Information from www.traumaprevention.com.