Unconventional Healing: Resolving Unconscious Tension and PTSD with Your Body's Natural Tremors
As I began my journey as a therapist, fresh from grad school, I noticed a tender thread weaving through my clients’ stories. Despite years of talk therapy, many still carried unresolved tension and trauma—silent burdens like dissociation, PTSD, and C-PTSD that clung stubbornly to their bodies. Watching this unfold lit a quiet fire in me to explore trauma’s deeper layers, especially how it nestles into our physical selves.
While traditional therapy is a cornerstone of healing, I’ve learned it sometimes misses the mark when words alone can’t reach the pain. That’s when I stumbled upon Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercises (TRE)—a gentle, innovative practice that bridges body and mind.
TRE offers a nurturing path for those wrestling with trauma, including veterans, first responders, and trauma survivors. It’s become a vital piece of my approach at Reviving Wholeness, inviting us to heal in ways that feel safe and whole.
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Understanding Trauma and Its Quiet Echoes
Trauma ripples through our nervous systems in ways we don’t always see. For veterans and first responders, who face relentless stress, the body’s “fight, flight, or freeze” response can become a constant hum, leaving behind chronic tension. Trauma survivors often carry similar imprints—sudden, jarring moments that lock fear into muscle and bone. Over time, this can spiral into PTSD or C-PTSD, weaving a web of disconnection from emotions.
Clients often whisper, “I don’t know why I feel this way.” Their words reveal a truth: trauma doesn’t always live in the mind’s story—it hides in the body’s memory.
This is where TRE steps in, offering a soft, adaptive way to release what words can’t touch.
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The Birth of TRE: A Legacy from War
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TRE was crafted by Dr. David Berceli, a trauma therapist who spent over a decade in conflict zones like Lebanon and Sudan during the 1990s. Amid bombings, he noticed something remarkable: children trembled naturally after danger passed, while adults held tight, bottling their fear. This sparked a realization—our bodies are wired to shake off stress, much like animals do.
From these raw, human moments in war, Berceli developed TRE as a tool to release trauma stored deep in our muscles, especially the psoas, a core muscle tied to survival instincts.
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Originally designed for war survivors, TRE’s gentle exercises—simple stretches that spark natural tremors—were tested in places like Yemen and Uganda. By the early 2000s, it reached veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, offering a body-based balm for PTSD.
Later, it adapted for first responders and trauma survivors, proving its modular magic: no elaborate setup, just a safe space to let the body speak. Today, it’s a global practice, evolving with each community it touches, from war zones to disaster relief efforts.
Introducing TRE: A Soft, Reflexive Release
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TRE feels like a warm invitation to let go. It sidesteps the need to recount every detail, instead coaxing the body’s natural tremors to unwind deep tension. Picture a gazelle escaping a lion—afterward, it shakes for hours, then bounds away, free. Animals don’t carry PTSD; their bodies know how to reset. TRE mirrors this, offering a nurturing release for humans too.
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For those with C-PTSD from layered traumas—like a firefighter facing years of emergencies or a trauma survivor reeling from a sudden shock—TRE’s tremors can ease the weight without digging into the past. It’s a quiet power, perfect for when words feel too heavy.
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The Comfort of Non-Verbal Healing
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Non-verbal therapies like TRE are a refuge for many, especially when revisiting pain feels overwhelming. For trauma survivors, the mind might blur the moment of impact, leaving only fragments—yet the body remembers. Unlike EMDR or brainspotting, which need a story to anchor them, TRE doesn’t ask for details. It simply lets the body lead.
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What I love most is how empowering it feels. Clients guide their own shaking, choosing when to pause or flow, reclaiming control in a way that’s deeply healing. It’s a gentle strength—an honoring of the body’s wisdom for all who seek it.​
Traditional therapy often leans on logic to untangle emotions, but trauma isn’t always so tidy.
Clients might feel anxiety or numbness—common in veterans or first responders—without a clear “why.” TRE flips this script, releasing tension from the ground up. Through gentle tremors, it unravels pain stored in the body, offering relief that feels organic and kind.
A Lifeline for First Responders, Veterans, and More
For first responders and veterans, TRE is a game-changer. These souls often shoulder repeated trauma—fires, combat, chaos—building layers of tension that talk therapy alone can’t reach. A survey from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs notes 30% of veterans face PTSD in their lifetime, and first responders aren’t far behind. TRE helps them shake off that burden, leaving them lighter and steadier.
I’ve seen it work wonders for trauma survivors too—those sudden jolts can mimic combat’s shock, locking trauma in tight. TRE’s adaptability shines here; it meets each person where they are, no matter the source of their pain.
Personal Reflections: A Therapist’s Journey with TRE
TRE has softened my view of healing. In one session, a client with deep trauma let her body tremble freely. Afterward, she glowed with a newfound lightness—a moment that reminded me how powerful this practice is. Guiding clients to trust their bodies has reshaped my work, blending science with human experience.
Healing isn’t a sprint—it’s a dance. With TRE, you set the rhythm, honoring what feels right for you.
A Reflection on Healing’s Potential
Through my work with trauma, I see how vital tools like TRE are. For veterans, first responders, and anyone carrying PTSD, C-PTSD, or the aftermath of life’s shocks as trauma survivors, it’s a bridge to peace. In a world that prizes words, TRE reminds us our bodies hold wisdom, too.
The journey can feel daunting, but healing is already within you. Let your body’s natural tremors guide you—softly, safely—toward the strength waiting inside. With TRE, we’re not just understanding trauma; we’re feeling it release, step by tender step.
