Group Practice
Group TRE offers the benefits of co-regulation and community at a larger scale. The presence of multiple nervous systems creates a powerful container for practice and healing.
Group TRE sessions should ideally be facilitated by a certified TRE provider. A provider can guide the exercises, help participants regulate, and respond appropriately if someone becomes overwhelmed. While experienced practitioners may gather informally, having professional guidance ensures safety for all participants.
Benefits of Group Practice
| Benefit | Description |
|---|---|
| Amplified co-regulation | Multiple calm nervous systems create a powerful field of regulation |
| Community | Shared practice creates connection around healing, particularly meaningful for those who feel isolated |
| Accountability | Regular meetings support consistent practice |
| Normalisation | Seeing others tremor normalises the experience and reduces self-consciousness |
Facilitated Group Sessions
The safest and most effective group TRE happens with a certified provider:
What a provider offers:
- Proper instruction of the exercises
- Guidance on self-regulation for all participants
- Ability to recognise and respond to overwhelm or dissociation
- Knowledge of when to intervene and when to allow process
- Professional responsibility for participant safety
Finding facilitated groups:
- Ask your TRE provider if they run group sessions
- Search the TRE provider directory
- Check local yoga studios and wellness centres
- Community centres sometimes host facilitated TRE groups
What to expect:
- Regular meetings (weekly, fortnightly, or monthly)
- Guided exercises followed by tremoring time
- Opportunity to meet others on similar journeys
- Usually low-cost compared to individual sessions
- Welcoming to all experience levels
Typical Group Structure
A facilitated group session typically follows this structure:
- Brief check-in – How is everyone today?
- Grounding together – Simple orienting or breathing exercise
- TRE exercises – Provider guides the sequence
- Tremoring time – 10–20 minutes, provider observes and assists as needed
- Integration – Rest together
- Optional closing – Brief sharing of experience if desired
Common group agreements:
- What's shared stays in the group (confidentiality)
- No commentary on others' tremors or experiences
- Each person manages their own practice
- Permission to skip sharing if anyone prefers
- Respect for silence during tremoring and integration
Peer Practice Groups
Experienced practitioners sometimes gather informally without a provider present. This works best when:
- All members have learned TRE from a certified provider
- Everyone has a solid understanding of self-regulation
- The group is small (3–4 people)
- All members have stable, established practices
- There are clear agreements about confidentiality and boundaries
- Everyone is committed to their own process (not fixing others)
Peer practice groups are for maintenance, not for learning TRE or processing significant trauma. If anyone in the group is new to TRE, working with difficult material, or prone to overwhelm, a provider should be present. When in doubt, seek professional facilitation.
If someone becomes distressed in a peer group:
- Encourage them to use self-regulation (brake pedal, grounding)
- Offer calm presence without trying to fix or process
- Do not try to interpret their experience
- Suggest they contact a TRE provider or therapist for support
- Consider whether future sessions need professional facilitation
Practice groups are wonderful for maintaining a TRE practice, but they do not replace professional guidance. Anyone working with significant trauma or who needs more support should also work with a certified TRE provider or therapist.
Finding Groups
Many areas have established TRE communities:
Where to look:
- Ask your TRE provider if they run group sessions
- Search the TRE provider directory for providers offering groups
- Search Meetup.com for "TRE" or "trauma release" groups in your area
- Check local yoga studios and wellness centres
- Search Facebook for "TRE [your city/region]" groups
Questions to ask before joining:
- Is the group facilitated by a certified TRE provider?
- What experience level is the group suited for?
- How many people typically attend?
- What is the format and duration?
Online Groups
TRE can be practised with others via video connection. Many certified providers now offer online group sessions.
Benefits of online:
- Accessibility when in-person is not possible
- Can join groups regardless of location
- Comfortable in own space
Limitations of online:
- Less powerful co-regulation than physical presence
- Provider cannot physically assist if someone becomes distressed
- Technology issues can disrupt
Online practice tips:
- Test technology beforehand
- Set up camera to show full body during tremoring
- Keep audio on for connection (mute background noise)
- Know how to signal need for pause
- Have a plan for self-regulation if you become overwhelmed
Online Communities
Global online communities can supplement local connections:
Online resources:
- Official TRE social media groups
- Reddit communities focused on TRE and somatic healing
- Online forums for trauma recovery and body-based healing
Using online communities wisely:
- These complement but don't replace in-person connection or professional guidance
- Be discerning about advice: everyone's experience is different
- Protect your privacy
- Focus on communities that are supportive and trauma-informed
We are social beings, and healing often happens best in community. Finding others to share your TRE journey—whether in facilitated groups or with a practice partner—can deepen both your practice and your connections.