Tension/Trauma Release Exercises
(TRE)
The founder of TRE, Dr David Bercelli, has worked in over 50 countries providing trauma relief workshops and has designed recovery programs for international organizations worldwide.
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In one of these warzones, he realized that humans naturally have the same method of releasing trauma as mammals.
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Both of us have a "shaking" experience after experiencing trauma.
After thoroughly researching this shaking mechanism, he concluded it is the body's natural response to process a traumatic event. This discovery led to the development of TRE, a unique technique supporting people with effects like anxiety, stress, trauma or PTSD. Dr David Bercelli has identified seven exercises where specific muscles are isolated, helping you to trigger your body's natural tremor response to trauma.
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TRE explained in the context of trauma
To have a basic understanding of trauma, we need a simple understanding of what stress and trauma are.
Stress is an experience you might have, but it can be handled with your normal coping mechanism.
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Trauma is an experience you might have which is so severe it causes you to be overwhelmed, and your normal coping mechanism is not sufficient enough.
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Typically, we have three parts of our brains that are working together, helping us in our daily activities:
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NEOCORTEX: Human Brain Rational - Logic, creative, belief systems, imagination.
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LIMBIC SYSTEM: Brain Emotional - Fight/flight, basic emotions, fear, anger, hate, hurt, rage, mammalian.
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BRAIN STEM: Reptilian Brain - Instinctual, respiration, heart rate and blood pressure.
During a stressful/traumatic experience, the frontal lobes of the cortex are disengaged by the activation of the limbic system and brain stem.
The purpose of this neurological separation is so that the brain will bypass the executive functioning of the cortex and activate our instinctual survival responses.
This instinctual brain process saves us during the stressor event.
Over time this neurological separation can lead to continued instinctual behaviours and emotions, which can create:
• impulsive, short-sighted even violent behaviour
• increased anxiety
• depression
• substance abuse and
• increased stress-related diseases.
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CORTEX FUNCTIONING DISENGAGES bypass the executive functioning of the pre-frontal cortex and activate the instinctual brain.
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These behaviours are what describe the PERSONALITY OF TRAUMA. These neurological changes give rise to individual and cultural behaviours of domestic & social violence and suicidal ideation."
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The TRE technique activates the parts of the brain where our primitive survival instinct originates.
The exercises used for tremor activation are specifically chosen to help the body to activate the response to fight/flight.
These tremors take up the same pattern in your brain as when the trauma occurred. By allowing the tremor to happen, the tremor follows the same neurological pathway and releases the pattern of the trauma imprint.
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It is essential to understand that TRE addresses neurology, not psychology.
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The self-induced therapeutic tremors of TRE are recognized as the neurophysiological attempt of the human organism to reduce autonomic nervous system (ANS) reactivity after the threat or danger has ended.
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TRE consultation
Each person will have a different result, or even the time to get to a result will differ from person to person.
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Although TRE can eventually be practised in the safety of your home.
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It is crucial to ensure your body is reacting positively and that you understand your body's response.
Most clients will start with 4 to 6 sessions, where they will be taught how to begin tremoring at home.
With more severe cases, it is essential to understand that more sessions will be done in the provider's safety before the client is requested to start tremoring at home.
Each client is treated as an individual. Their needs and their circumstances are different from each other. Therefore the sessions will be adapted to suit every person individually.
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Why should I do TRE?
Many clients see TRE as a silent treatment. TRE does not replace psychology but is a vital tool for any client to help release the locked-up trauma In their system.
Your TRE provider will work hand in hand with your phycologist/counsellor, helping you to release trauma not just physiologically but also neurologically, which plays a vital role in your healing.
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TRE is a technique you learn to do for yourself.
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As life continues, we all are exposed to different kinds of trauma, no matter how great or how small it might look to someone else.
To release stored trauma patterns might not just have an emotional release but might also have a physical impact on your body.
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For more information about TRE, you are welcome to visit treforafrica.com and traumaprevention.com. Watch the following two videos to explain TRE briefly and comprehensively.
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"The tissues possess an infallible memory for trauma. Everything is recorded in them." Jean-Pierre Barral & Alain Croibier (2000). Trauma: An osteopathic approach. Eastland Press