“External conflict comes to an end with the dawn of internal peace.” Dr David Berceli
Regardless of whether stress or trauma is physical, emotional or psychological in origin, ultimately it is the body that responds, and these unresolved fight, flight and freeze patterns need to be discharged and released in order for us to return to a calm and relaxed homeostasis.
Trauma Release Exercises (TRE) is a revolutionary approach that deliberately uses the body’s own innate process of involuntary shaking and tremoring in a safe and controlled way to physically release the effects of chronic stress and unresolved trauma including PTSD.
As the process uses a series of simple exercises to invoke tremors that are then able to be self regulated, it does not require talking about or recalling past events and does not require the ongoing assistance of a therapist for the vast majority of people, meaning the process can be used on your own on an ongoing basis to support and enhance other approaches.
Understanding the purpose and benefits of these tremors commonly experienced during traumatic events such as birth, car accidents or natural disasters or when anxious or stressed such as when speaking in public allows us to make use of this natural body process rather than suppressing it or shutting it down and missing out it’s inherent benefits to assist our recovery.
TRE and the benefits of Neurogenic Tremors can be seen in this 8 minute documentary about the use of TRE after the earthquake in Christchurch NZ
Originally developed and named ‘Trauma Release Exercises‘ as a self-empowering trauma recovery process for large populations in the third world, it also came to be known as ‘Tension Release Exercises‘ for it’s ability to reduce chronic stress, muscular tension, anxiety and pain (especially in the low back and pelvis.)
As the tremors work by releasing the defensive muscle patterns held in the core of the body (either over active, tight and rigid or under active, weak and numb) they have also become known and applied as ‘Core Release Exercises‘ for their ability to re-awaken and maintain our bodies natural dynamic core stability.
Once learnt the process is immediately effective and self empowering as it provides a free resource for the rest of our lives to regularly renew ourselves to a more calm, relaxed and balanced state.
To learn more about the involuntary shaking and tremoring experienced by many women during or after birth see ‘TRE & birth‘
To understand how chronic stress and emotional triggers effect us in a similar way to trauma, see ‘stress v’s trauma’
To learn how our unresolved defensive body patterns inhibit our bodies innate dynamic core stability, see ‘core release’
Please see upcoming workshops for information about 1 day public workshops and 3 day Level 1 and level 2 training around Australia & New Zealand in the coming months including workshops by TRE founder Dr David Berceli in November and December 2011.
TRE invokes these innate tremors in a controlled and sustained manner to release deep chronic muscular tension from the core of the body where the protective pattern of muscle contraction is created, returning the body to a more calm, relaxed and balanced state.
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An explanation of TRE by Dr David Berceli
