Deepening Your Practice
Once you have established a consistent TRE practice and developed solid self-regulation skills, you can explore more targeted and nuanced ways of working with the tremor mechanism. This section offers techniques for experienced practitioners who want to expand their practice.
What This Section Covers
- Working with Specific Body Areas – Targeting regions like hips, shoulders, jaw, and chest
- Alternative Positions – Side-lying, prone, standing, seated, and wall-supported variations
- Activation Techniques – Squeeze and release, PNF stretching, and isometric methods
- Self-Touch Techniques – Using touch to enhance release and provide self-soothing
- Sound and Breath – Vocalisations and breathing techniques for deeper work
- Partner Practice – Working with TRE alongside another person
- Group Practice – Practising in community and finding local groups
Before exploring these techniques, ensure you have:
- At least 2–3 months of consistent practice
- Strong self-regulation skills
- Understanding of your own window of tolerance
- Reviewed the safety guidelines
Developing Your Long-Term Practice
As your practice matures, it naturally evolves. The techniques in this section are not goals to achieve but options to explore when they feel right.
Signs You Are Ready to Deepen
| Sign | What It Suggests |
|---|---|
| Practice feels routine and integrated | Your nervous system has adapted; you may be ready for variation |
| Tremors are consistent and manageable | Your self-regulation is solid |
| You are curious about exploring more | Natural readiness to expand |
| Sessions feel complete but perhaps too predictable | Time for new stimulation |
How Practice Evolves Over Time
Months 1–3: Learning the basics, building self-regulation, establishing consistency.
Months 3–6: Practice becomes familiar; you understand your patterns; tremors are predictable and manageable.
Months 6–12: Ready to explore variations; may notice different body areas wanting attention; emotional material may arise more readily.
Year 1+: Practice adapts to your needs; you develop intuition about what your body requires; techniques from this section become natural options.
Keeping Practice Fresh
If your practice feels stale:
- Try a different position from Alternative Positions
- Work with a body area you have not focused on before
- Add sound or breath techniques
- Practice with a partner or join a group
- Take a break and return fresh
- Work with a provider for new perspective
When to Stay with the Basics
More is not always better. Return to foundational practice when:
- Life is particularly stressful
- You feel destabilised or over-activated
- New techniques feel like too much
- Your nervous system needs simplicity
- You are recovering from illness or difficulty
Your body knows what it needs. If you feel drawn to explore something in this section, trust that. If you feel resistance, honour that too. There is no requirement to use advanced techniques: many people practise basic TRE for years with profound benefit.
A Note on "Advanced"
These techniques are called "advanced" not because they are better, but because they build on foundational skills. The basic TRE practice remains the core. Everything in this section is optional enhancement.
The most important elements of TRE practice are always:
- Consistency
- Self-regulation
- Listening to your body
- Integration and rest
No technique in this section replaces those fundamentals.