Once again, I came across T.R.E because of a referral made to this incredible modality in my own journey to support my daughter who was struggling with anxiety during COVID. I loved the concept and was fascinated by how it worked and how beautifully it connected with our Sensory Integration knowledge of regulation.
What is T.R.E?
This refers to Tension and Trauma Releasing exercises. It is a safe method that helps the body to release stress and tension that has accumulated in the body. This can be from daily stressors and pressures or specific traumas e.g. bullying, death, abuse.
Children from about the age of 6 and up can be taught T.R.E.
Some background:
How the body and mind is connected à and how it works:
In stressful times, our body’s are wired to protect us. Once in safety, we have a naturalmechanism to release the effects of tension in order to continue. In the animal kingdom this can be seen e.g. if a lion attacks a buck, the herd will run away. Once SAFE, they will tremor and shake and then carry on eating as though nothing happened. As humans, we have this neurogenic tremor available, but we have learned to ignore our body systems and signals andthus don’t engage this wonderful mechanism that can help manage the effects of stress andtrauma.
Dr Bercelli (the father of T.R.E) noticed this and then looked at how to give the body signals of being safe in order to give the body an opportunity to use this neurogenic tremor. There are thus 7 activities / exercises which alternately stress and relax the muscles that are vital infight/flight – namely ankles, calves, hamstrings, quadriceps, inner thighs and psoas muscle. This provides the brain with a message that the body is safe and that it can now use the neurogenic tremor.
A neurogenic tremor means that the tremor is initiated from the brain (as part of the autonomic nervous system). It sends signals to the fascia surrounding the muscles that the body is safe and can tremor to release tension. The fascia is the structural support of the body–– covering all muscles, ligaments, tendons, organs etc in the body. When we are in a state of fight/flight, the brain sends a message to the fascia to get more tense in order tosupport the bodys’ ability for fight/flight. Tight fascia in turn sends messages to the brain thatthe body is still in fight/flight and it becomes a negative cycle. TRE is a process where the brain can initiate the tremor, thus release the fascia and send messages to the brain that it is safe and can relax.
These tremors both allow the nervous system to discharge contractions related to the defensive responses of fight, flight and freeze; and communicate to the brain that the body is no longer in danger for which the responses were initiated. The tremor response communicates to the brain that we are out of danger and to move back into a calm state.
This can ONLY happen when the environment is SAFE. Basically we are allowing the autonomic nervous system to return to a more rested and regulated state of calm.
Who would benefit from T.R.E?
Children from about the age of 6 or 7 can be taught T.R.E. They need to be able to follow instructions and imitate the exercises.
People of all ages who would like to learn a skill to help manage the effects of stress and tension, as well as those who have had specific traumatic experiences would benefit.
For children this a wonderful skill to learn to help ‘discharge’. A calmer body, with less anxiety and tension will support social skills and interaction, learning, play and their resilience to the pressures around them.
We love that there is a technique that can be taught in 4-6 sessions which can be a valuable tool to be used for life!
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