Trauma Release Exercise - an introduction

12 Mar

I was trawling the yoga internet when I came across Tension & Trauma Release Exercise or TRE. ‘That looks weird’ I thought looking at the videos of people shaking and occasionally having a laugh while they did it. “Crazy. Yuck. No!”

Too strange for me I confirmed over and over again as I kept going back to take another look. Eventually I moved beyond the images to the info about the function of the tremor reflex on nervous system regulation and releasing chronically held tension from the body. OK that might be worth looking into. No matter how relaxed I got in Yoga or Meditation I was always aware of an underlying contraction that felt both intrinsic to me and like it didn’t belong at all. Sometimes trying to relax felt like the most stressful thing I could do.

I subscribed to a TRE page and in the way of these things got an email one week later advising that Richmond Heath of TRE Australia would be running a course 10 minutes down the road from where I lived. It seemed like a good sign!

Going into that first workshop my mind was racing. What if I lost my composure? I definitely didn’t want to be talking about anything traumatic.

My worries were quickly silenced. After going through the theory behind TRE we were guided through some exercises to invoke the body’s innate tremor reflex. While it’s common for people to initially experience tremors in their legs my right arm started moving like I was trying to lasso a horse with a rope! The sensation was compelling and cathartic. It also gave me a little giggle. It validated that this was a reflexive movement of the body because I couldn’t imagine a scenario where I would elect to move my arm like this. The process unfolded and I experienced a profound sense of relaxation and a sense of joy and optimism.

Returning home from the workshop my children, aged 13 and 11 at the time, were extra chatty and giggly with me. The inner dialogue that made me often physically present but inwardly distracted was silent. The kids basked in my being completely present.

That night I slept without waking for what felt like the first time in my life.

Ok, I thought, if this keeps going like this, I am going to learn how to teach it and share this.

It has kept going like that. TRE has seen me through the hard, difficult days that come into all lives. It has allowed me to know the joy of ocean swimming mornings (I had to shake off that sharky fear). The way I experience myself and my days has been radically transformed by TRE.

My body has become an ally. I know how I feel, speak up for myself and I act on my own behalf. Shifting the nervous system out of fight, flight, freeze or fawn is a radical shift in perspective. Letting go of deeply held tension patterns is refreshing, relaxing and transformative.

I warmly invite you to join me in exploring the process.

Upcoming events:

Women’s Retreat June 2nd at The Wellbeing Centre, Eudlo. Experience an introduction to TRE along with yoga, meditation and expressive collage process. Info here

Ongoing:

Individual or group sessions online or in-person at Noosa District Psychology + Training. Info here