Tension and Trauma Releasing exercises

DesTRE® stands for Tension & Trauma Releasing Exercises. TRE® is a simple, body-based technique designed to help release deep tension and stress held in the body. It uses a series of gentle exercises to activate the body’s natural tremoring mechanism, which can calm the nervous system and promote relaxation.

TRE® activates the body’s natural ability to shake or tremor, a mechanism often suppressed in daily life. These tremors help to release stored physical tension and emotional stress, restoring balance and well-being without the need for verbal processing.

Anyone who has experienced stress, tension, or trauma can benefit from TRE®. It’s especially helpful for individuals dealing with chronic stress, anxiety, physical tension, or past trauma. TRE® is also widely used by healthcare professionals, first responders, athletes, and individuals in high-stress environments.

Yes, TRE® is safe for most people when practiced responsibly. It’s a self-guided process, and individuals can stop or modify the exercises if they feel uncomfortable. However, those with severe trauma or medical conditions should consult a qualified TRE® provider before starting.

While TRE® can be learned independently, working with a certified TRE® provider is recommended for beginners, especially if you’ve experienced significant trauma. A provider can guide you through the exercises safely and tailor the process to your needs.

Yes, once you’ve learned the exercises and understand how your body responds, you can practice TRE® on your own. However, it’s important to go at your own pace and listen to your body’s signals. Working with a provider will help you become attuned to this.

It’s natural to feel skeptical about trying something new. TRE® is backed by research and has helped thousands of people worldwide reduce stress and tension. The process is gentle, self-guided, and doesn’t require belief to work—your body’s natural tremoring mechanism simply activates as a physical response. You can start slowly, observe how your body reacts, and stop at any time if you feel uncomfortable. Many individuals who were initially skeptical have found it to be a powerful and transformative practice.

Yes! To become a certified TRE® Provider, you need to complete the official TRE® Certification Training Program. You can find more details about the certification process here.

Self-regulation is your ability to tolerate and control your own emotions, thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations without relying on someone else to manage them. Neuroscience shows that this capacity depends on your prefrontal cortex exerting “top-down” control over deeper brain regions involved in survival and emotion. When self-regulation breaks down, you lose that control and become overwhelmed by those emotions, thoughts, and sensations.

• Only do the exercises if they feel safe and comfortable.

• If you feel any physical pain, adjust your position or the intensity; if pain persists, stop, sit up, and have some water.

• If you become emotionally overwhelmed, slow down or pause the tremors until you feel grounded again; then sit up and drink water.

• As a beginner, limit each session to 15 minutes and practice no more than 3–4 times per week.

• After a few weeks, once you’re confident in self-regulating, you may gradually increase session length or frequency as you choose.

Stress and tension build up from daily life as your muscles contract, often unnoticed until pain or illness appears. By using TRE® preventatively—alongside techniques like yoga, meditation, or workouts—you can release tension before it becomes chronic, helping maintain better overall physical and mental health.

The exercises trigger involuntary muscle tremors that help release deep muscle tension. Relaxing these held patterns reduces stress in the spine, neck, shoulders, and pelvis, which the brain interprets as a drop in pain signals—and it responds by releasing healing hormones.

Because TRE® directly addresses the body’s stored tension, therapists can integrate it into treatment without needing specialized body-psychotherapy training. It provides a straightforward somatic tool for clients to release overwhelming physical and emotional stress safely.

Conflict often arises from unrecognized stress and tension. Regular TRE® sessions lower baseline stress levels, promoting a more relaxed body and mind. That calmer state makes it easier to communicate, collaborate, and resolve conflicts at work or home.

Strong shaking indicates that you’re breaking up large, “iceberg-like” tension blocks in your muscles. Gentle tremors are also important for working through finer tension patterns. Both intensities are normal—tension release naturally ebbs and flows.

After you’ve learned the process, you can do TRE® daily if you wish, but at a minimum, aim for twice a week. Even occasional sessions help reduce deep muscular tension.

Most people start with a 15-minute tremor release. As you become more accustomed to the process, you may choose to extend beyond 15 minutes, or you may find you can trigger the tremor without the full exercise routine.