tension release exercise (TRE®)

“I found that, if given appropriate guidance, human beings can and do shake off the effects of overwhelming events and return to their lives using exactly the same procedures that animals use.”

— Dr Peter Levine

TRE® provides a more dynamic way to discharge stress and tension that has built-up in the body, whether as a result of emotional tension, over-exertion or a compromised physical sitting or standing posture.

Through gentle guided exercises that engage the body’s natural mechanism of release, it can:

• bring a sense of relaxation and restoration to the body-mind

• soothe the nervous system

• relieve muscular tension, anxiety, stress and insomnia.

More crucially, when practised over time, as we begin to trust our body more and sense our inner capacity, it brings a sense of embodied resilience in responding to everyday challenges. Here is a peek at what the TRE process could look like, while a fun yet educational video that explains the premise behind TRE can be found here.

When practised in a group, the focus is on tension release with the added bonus of our body naturally learning new patterns of movement from other participants. When practised 1:1, it is an opportunity to dive a little deeper to unpack and potentially integrate held trauma within the body.

Do note that TRE might not be the most appropriate intervention to begin with, depending on the level of nervous system dysregulation and disconnection from the body. As such, TRE is offered as one of the possible modalities engaged with as part of a broader somatic therapy session.

These TRE FAQs might be able to address any further questions, while session logistics and rates can be found here.