Emotional Release

TRE works with the body's natural release mechanisms, and what the body releases is not always comfortable. Intense physical sensations, strong emotions, and unexpected content can all arise during practice.

What Might Come Up

The body stores more than muscle tension. Held within our tissues can be:

Type	What May Arise
Physical sensations	Pain or discomfort in specific areas; temperature changes; tingling, vibrating, or electric sensations; nausea; pressure or constriction; waves of energy
Emotions	Sadness, grief, or tears; fear or anxiety; anger or rage; shame or embarrassment; unexplained emotions without clear cause; relief, joy, or liberation
Involuntary expressions	Crying or sobbing; laughter; sighs, yawns, or vocalisations; spontaneous movements or gestures

What comes up during TRE is not a sign that something is wrong. It is a sign that something is releasing.

– Peter Levine, Waking the Tiger

Understanding Emotional Release

Emotions that arise during TRE are often somatic in nature: they emerge from the body rather than from thinking about something upsetting. You might feel sadness without knowing why, or fear without an apparent trigger. This is the body releasing stored emotional content.

These releases are generally healthy. Emotions held in the body take energy to maintain. Releasing them can bring relief and free up that energy.

However, emotional release can be challenging if:

• The emotions are intense
• They connect to painful memories
• You are not used to feeling emotions fully
• You lack support systems
• The release exceeds your window of tolerance

The goal is to allow emotional release whilst staying within your capacity for integration.

Working with Tears and Grief

Crying during TRE is common. Tears may come without any clear reason, or they may connect to specific memories or losses.

If tears arise:

1. Allow them. Crying is a natural release mechanism, as valid as tremoring. Do not suppress tears if they want to come.
2. Stay present. Keep some awareness of your body and surroundings. You can cry whilst staying grounded.
3. Regulate if needed. If crying becomes overwhelming, use the brake pedal to slow tremors. Open your eyes. Press your feet into the floor.
4. Offer yourself compassion. Place a hand on your heart. Speak kindly to yourself: "It's okay to feel this."
5. Let it complete. Tears often have a natural arc: they intensify, peak, and then subside. Allow this process.

After crying, you may feel relief, tiredness, or tenderness. This is normal. Be gentle with yourself.

Working with Fear and Anxiety

Fear or anxiety during TRE might manifest as:

• Rapid heartbeat
• Shallow breathing
• Wanting to run away
• Sense of danger or threat
• Panic or dread

First, assess: Is this fear within your window of tolerance: uncomfortable but manageable? Or is it overwhelming, approaching panic?

If within tolerance:

• Notice where fear lives in your body
• Breathe slowly, emphasising the exhale
• Remind yourself: "I am safe. This is a release. It will pass."
• Stay with the sensation without adding story
• Allow the tremors to continue if you feel stable

If approaching overwhelm:

• Use the brake pedal immediately
• Open your eyes and look around the room
• Press your feet firmly into the floor
• Sit up if needed
• Use grounding techniques (5-4-3-2-1)
• Stop the session if necessary

Panic Is a Signal to Stop

If you are experiencing panic: racing heart, difficulty breathing, feeling you might die or lose control: stop the tremors and focus entirely on grounding. This is not a release to push through; it is a signal that you have exceeded your capacity.

Working with Anger

Anger during TRE might show up as:

• Tension in the jaw, fists, or shoulders
• Heat or energy wanting to move
• Impulses to hit, kick, or yell
• Irritation or frustration
• Tremors that feel aggressive or sharp

Anger, like other emotions, can release through TRE. However, it requires some care:

Allow the energy: Anger is energy. Let yourself feel it without acting it out.

Notice body impulses: Where does the anger want to move? What does your body want to do?

Contain without suppressing: You can feel anger fully without harming anything. The tremors may become more vigorous: this is okay.

After practice: If anger persists, physical release can help: punching a pillow, vigorous exercise, or shouting in a private space.

If it's too much: Use self-regulation. Anger that feels out of control or scary should prompt slowing or stopping.

Signs You Are Outside Your Window

Learn to recognise when you have moved outside your window of tolerance:

State	Signs
Hyperarousal (too activated)	Heart racing; breath fast and shallow; muscles tensing rather than releasing; feeling panicky or out of control; urge to flee; tremors feeling chaotic
Hypoarousal (shutdown)	Feeling numb or disconnected; spacey or far away; difficulty thinking; body feels heavy or frozen; losing track of where you are

Both states indicate you need to regulate. In hyperarousal, focus on calming: slow breathing, brake pedal, grounding. In hypoarousal, focus on activation: open your eyes, press your feet down, move slightly, orient to the room.

Self-Compassion

Perhaps the most important element in working with intense experiences is self-compassion. Whatever arises during TRE: whatever emotions or sensations: you can meet them with kindness rather than judgement.

You might silently offer yourself phrases like:

• "This is hard. May I be kind to myself."
• "I am doing the best I can."
• "It makes sense that this is stored in my body."
• "I can feel this and still be okay."

The body releases what it needs to release. Your job is not to control this process but to accompany yourself through it with care.