TRE® (Trauma and Tension Release Exercises)
TRE® is a somatic practice to release tension, stress, anxiety and trauma from the body. It includes a series of easy stretches using the muscles of the lower body and builds up tremors in the legs.
The main muscle used in TRE® is the psoas. The muscle runs from the T12 and L1 vertebrae on the spine down through the pelvis and across the ball and socket of the hip to the top of the femur. It is a large muscle – the size of a fist and deep in the interior of the pelvis under the abdominal and leg muscles and organs.
The stretches are designed to fatigue the psoas so that when you move onto the next part of the practice - lying with the soles of your feet together and knees apart - the body instinctually shakes and releases stress and tension.
The psoas is the ‘fight or flight’ muscle and so it contracts the most when we are stressed. As a result, if this muscle is tired and dry it does not function properly and leads to all sorts of secondary health problems like sciatic nerve pain, lower back pain, menstrual cramps, prostrate issues etc. So when we allow our body’s natural tremors and they come into the psoas it releases, rehydrates and regenerates. It then allows other symptoms to reduce and the body and mind to return to homeostasis.
TRE® can be done safely at home for stress release. However, if you intend to use this practice to work on trauma, please do it with a trauma-trained practitioner.
You can find tutorials on YouTube videos to take you through a TRE® practice. Or you can follow this shortened version.
Tension Release Home Session
Duration: Approximately 30 minutes
1. Wall Sit (3 minutes) Begin by sitting against a wall as if sitting on a chair. Maintain this position for 3 minutes.
2. Legs Up (2 minutes) Lie on your back and lift your legs in the air at a right angle or as close to that as you can manage. Hold this position for 2 minutes.
3. Low Bridge Pose (2 minutes) Transition to a low bridge pose, (with your feet on the ground, hips-width apart, knees pointing upwards and the bottom hovering off the ground - keep it low to the ground). Do this without using your arms. Hold for 2 minutes.
4. Butterfly Pose Hover (2 minutes) From a butterfly pose (soles of the feet together, knees out to the side), hover your bottom off the floor for 2 minutes.
5. Tension Release (5-15 minutes) While still in butterfly pose, place your bottom on the floor. Lift your knees toward each other a few inches, allowing the legs to tremor, shake, or bounce. Once the tremors lessen or stop you lift the knees another few inches and repeat. Continue for 5-15 minutes. Adjust intensity as needed.
- Rest Positions (if tremors are too strong)
- a) Extend your legs on the floor with your feet flexed up to the ceiling.
- b) Set feet on the ground wider than hip-width apart, allowing knees to touch.
6. Savasana (5 minutes or more) Lie on your back in savasana for a minimum of 5 minutes, preferably longer. Integration is a crucial part of this practice. Skipping it may reduce the full benefits, as the mind needs time to integrate the body's experiences.
Note: Consult a trauma-trained practitioner if working specifically on trauma. Always adjust the intensity if tremors feel too strong.
