TRE

TRE is about meeting the body.

Reconnecting with this deep natural release.

It is a tool that teaches us to trust in the wisdom of our body.

Shaking isn’t exactly popular in our culture. It’s usually seen negatively – loss of control, vulnerability, weakness. Western medical science isn’t a fan of shaking, either: symptoms of a disorder, part of a problem ...

But shaking can be part of the solution to life’s problems, as discovered by David Berceli, the founder of the TRE method. So we need to change our attitude towards shaking.

It’s like this: when there’s a threat or danger, our body responds with high arousal and tension, producing energy, ready for fast physical action. This happens whether the danger is physical (like a sabre-tooth tiger) or mental/emotional, like confrontation, or being bullied or harassed (which is what happens more often now). But – and this is very important – our body’s rapid response systems see no difference between the two.

If we don’t then use up that energy by fighting or fleeing, the tension remains locked up in the body – and this is what can contribute to, or even cause, long-term stress symptoms such as insomnia, chronic pain, mental fog, worry ...

Shaking is our body’s natural, inbuilt process to reduce that tension. So to live a more tranquil life it’s helpful to rediscover shaking, and find out how best to do it.

Yes, yes, yes!

It’s for all of us. We all have this natural response within our body. With TRE, you can learn how to access it safely.

First-time shakers often say ‘It’s weird!’ , ‘It’s interesting!’, “It’s fun!”

The tremors generated by TRE generally feel pleasant and soothing.

The tremors show up in different patterns, speed of movement, and areas of the body.

After practising TRE, many people report feeling calm, peaceful and relaxed.

There are seven TRE exercises.

They target a range of muscle groups in the legs, from the feet up to the pelvis.

They’re simple to do, and easy to modify in order to match your body’s specific needs.

Of course! that’s the goal ...

... provided, that is, you have learnt it with a qualified TRE provider. Most important, you must feel safe and comfortable with the experience.

* It’s a natural process, already inside you

* You don’t need to be mentally focused

* There is no conscious physical effort whilst shaking

* It is cost-effective. Once learnt, it’s a lifetime tool

* You can do it anywhere at any time you choose

* It doesn’t take long – up to 15 mins each time

* You don’t need any props, just your body

* The pattern and flow of the tremors can change over time, and the experience is always a new one

* It makes you feel good!

We all experience stress, anxiety and levels of trauma in our lifetime. But trauma doesn’t have to be a big, significant event, as you might imagine; it can be anything that swamps us, emotionally, mentally or physically, and makes it hard for us to cope. It’s different in each one of us. 

When we find ourselves in a scary or dangerous situation, our body does its best to keep us safe. We have an ancient protective system that causes us to fight, flee or freeze in the face of danger. As part of that defensive process our body produces hormones, adrenaline and cortisol, which are pumped into the muscles. The hormones supercharge them, and this gives us a better chance of defending ourselves or escaping. 

During a traumatic or stressful event, even an emotional one, our bodies still go through these physiological and hormonal changes. They are needed for our survival – but they make the body tense up and the muscles and fascia contract. If this state continues, it can form the root of deep patterns of chronic tension, creating disharmony within the body. 

— Let's look at the animal kingdom

We are not the only creatures that face danger. Many members of the animal kingdom encounter life-threatening situations on a daily basis. How do they respond to that? How do they cope with all the high-intensity chemicals in their muscles, giving them a highly charged nervous system? If they’ve survived, after the danger is over they shake. Their entire body shakes for a little while. With the shaking, the animal’s nervous system gets rid of the excess charge accumulated during the stressful event and it can then calm down. They use the shivering to naturally sustain their lifestyle. The body keeps things in balance; just as it protected them during the traumatic event, so it protects them afterwards, by discharging all the highly charged chemicals from the muscles. 

— We are mammals

What happens to the animals happens to us too. We have the same instinctual tremors. It is a natural response genetically encoded in us. This is how we can get rid of the shock of a traumatic event, turn off our fight/flight/freeze defence mechanism, and dissipate the excess energy, restoring our nervous system to a state of balance. We benefit from it in the same way that animals do.