What is TRE®
Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercise or TRE® is a body based tool developed by Dr David Berceli to engage a natural reflex to release stress, through shaking.
TRE® is a set of 7 exercises that increase tension in some muscles and stretch out other muscles, primarily in the legs, to induce a natural shaking or tremor mechanism that we all have that releases deep seated patterns of trauma, tension and stress in the body.
As a TRE® Provider I can guide you through the process and help you to learn to shake safely alone so you can use this valuable tool to help maintain your wellbeing long into the future.
This is a somatic therapy and doesn’t require you to speak about anything but can give profound results.
The tremors and other involuntary movements allow us to release long held stress and trauma from the body. This release allows the nervous system, which can get stuck in primitive survival strategies (commonly known as flight/flight/freeze), to reboot and balance.
TRE® is used by people across the world for easy every day stress release, as well as being effective in helping with physical and mental health, chronic stress, tension, PTSD, and trauma. It has been widely used in the forces and with survivors of sexual abuse for the treatment of PTSD.
TRE® is simple and it has both immediate and cumulative benefits. Once you have learned it you can do it at home to help with your ongoing wellbeing.
A bit about Me
My name is Nathalie Knevett I am a counsellor and TRE® Provider based in Southampton. I have been studying counselling and psychology for over 20 years and have worked in mental health for the last 9 years. I have my own business and realised that not only do people need to talk about things and understand intellectually what has happened to them and their behaviour but that they also need to figure out ways to understand their body and nervous system and how and why it might react in certain ways.
TRE® has been transformative for me in my own wellbeing journey and the biggest improvements for me have been in understanding my emotions and fostering more emotional resilience. I was frozen when I thought I was thawed! This is still an ongoing process, and I shake 2-3 times per week for my own wellbeing. Things still come up and change. I deal better with my anxiety and anger than I have previously. I also hold less tension in my body and have a way to relieve tension when needed. I get muscle spasms and can use TRE® to reduce or even stop the impact of this. This has been transformative for me.
What a 2 hour workshop looks like
For a 2 hour session we have a welcome and introduction. We would then check in as a group, where you can let me know what you know about TRE® and how you are feeling in your body that day, if you have any aches or pains, I should be aware of to help adjust the movements.
We will then move on to some grounding, which will be tailored to the group, depending on what has come up in the check in.
Then we move on to the 7 exercises that make up TRE®. There is no rush here, in fact, the slower we go the better! If movements are too difficult, they can be adjusted and there will always be a way to do what we need to.
Once we have activated the tremor mechanism, we allow the body to shake for around 20 minutes. After this there is an integration period or around 10 minutes where you can just be with your body.
We then come together as a group and discuss how you found the session. You can share as much or as little as you wish. If there is time we may do a further grounding, I will discuss safety around practicing at home should you feel ready to do so and then check out.
Benefits
Benefits of TRE® are both short and long term and are cumulative so the more regularly you do it, the more benefit you will notice.
Overall benefits can include:
- Better sleep and rest
- Less stress related headaches and migraine
- Lower general anxiety and worry
- Reduction in anger issues (reactiveness)
- Reduction in chronic pain, especially back and neck pain
- Reduction in pain and stiffness related to operations and old injuries
- Reduction in the tendency to ‘space out’ or ‘go blank’ under stress
- Less reliance on unhelpful coping mechanisms
- Decrease in “trigger” level (increasing the “tipping point” of your nervous system)
- More Energy & Endurance
- Improved Relationships
- Increased Flexibility
- Greater Emotional Resilience
- Decreased Symptoms of Vicarious Trauma (Stories of others, news etc)
After one session generally people report being much calmer, having a better night’s sleep and feeling more resilient.
Contraindications
There are some existing physical and mental conditions that I will need to be aware of prior to doing a TRE® session. You may also need some more traditional talk therapy or a blend of both TRE® and counselling. If you are at all concerned contact me prior to attending and we can talk you through your options.
This workshop is not suitable for people currently experiencing a mental health crisis.
Please let me know if you have PTSD, Complex PTSD, any developmental trauma or Bi-polar. You don’t need to give me all the details I just need to be aware so that I can ensure your emotional safety when learning the process.
Physical conditions that limit range of movement are fine, just please let me know what your physical limitations are so I can adjust the movements where required. If you have Epilepsy or are pregnant, I urge you to have a 1:1 session rather than join a group.
It is important that your TRE® experience is a positive one that empowers you and the best way to guarantee this is to work slowly and in a way that can support your physical and mental health and wellbeing. TRE® is for everyone and there is always a way should people wish to learn this tool.
Tension and Trauma Release Testimonials
The biggest feedback I get is that people feel calm and that it is weird to allow the involuntary movement.
- Nat put me at ease straight away, despite me feeling a bit awkward doing the exercises. The calmness and warmth within her voice reassured me, helping me to relax into the session.
- I was so anxious about trying TRE® but Nathalie immediately put me at ease, she explained what was happening throughout and made me feel safe. The more sessions I did, the better it became. I felt more in control of my anxiety, and a back pain that I had had for a long time started to ease. It’s amazing what your body can do when you let it just do its thing! Highly recommend Nathalie to guide you through your TRE® experience. You won’t regret it!
- I was a bit nervous about going to the TRE® sessions, but Nathalie made me feel so comfortable and at ease. Throughout the session she checked in to make sure I was still doing ok. Following each session I felt a lot more relaxed and less stressed, I was really surprised by this as I’d had been through a lot mentally prior and was unable to find a way to de-stress and process things. I feel doing TRE® has really helped with this and I still do it on my own at home.
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