History and Origins of TRE
To understand TRE, it helps to know how it came to be. The development of Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercises is inseparable from the life and work of its creator, Dr David Berceli, and the extraordinary circumstances in which he observed the body's natural healing mechanisms.
David Berceli's Journey
David Berceli is an American trauma specialist who has spent over forty years working in conflict zones and disaster areas around the world. Trained in both theological and psychological disciplines, he has worked in the Middle East, Africa, and other regions affected by war, natural disasters, and chronic stress.
It was during his time living and working in Lebanon, the Middle East, and various African countries that Berceli began to make the observations that would eventually become TRE.
Working with populations living under constant threat: communities experiencing bombing, violence, and severe deprivation: Berceli noticed something curious. When people took shelter during bomb attacks, their bodies would naturally begin to shake. Children, in particular, would tremor visibly. Adults often displayed the same response but would suppress it, embarrassed by what they perceived as a sign of weakness or fear.
"The children would come out of the shelters shaking, and within thirty minutes they were back to playing. The adults would come out rigid and tense, holding in their fear, and they would carry that tension for days."
This observation led Berceli to a profound question: What if the shaking was not a symptom of fear but a resolution of it? What if suppressing the tremors was actually preventing the body from completing its natural stress response?
Development Through Field Experience
Berceli began to investigate tremoring systematically. He studied how different cultures responded to the tremor mechanism: noticing that in some traditional societies, shaking after stressful events was considered normal and even encouraged, while in Western and Westernised contexts, it was typically suppressed.
He observed animals in the wild, noting that they routinely tremor after stressful encounters. A gazelle that has escaped a predator will shake vigorously before returning to normal activity. Polar explorers documented penguins tremoring after surfacing from dives. Domesticated animals, too, display this behaviour when given the opportunity.
This natural phenomenon is what Berceli terms neurogenic tremors: tremors that originate in the central nervous system as part of the body's innate mechanism for discharging accumulated tension.
Neurogenic tremors are distinct from:
- Shivering (thermoregulation)
- Tremors from exhaustion (muscle fatigue)
- Pathological tremors (e.g., Parkinson's disease)
They are specifically related to the nervous system's stress response cycle.
Through years of working with traumatised populations, Berceli developed a series of simple exercises designed to safely activate the body's tremor mechanism. Rather than waiting for extreme stress to trigger tremors, these exercises tire the leg muscles in ways that reliably induce tremoring in most people.
Scientific Basis
While TRE emerged from clinical observation rather than laboratory research, it is grounded in well-established principles of neuroscience and physiology:
The stress response cycle. As discussed in earlier chapters, the body mobilises energy in response to threat. This energy: if not discharged through action: remains stored in the muscular system. Tremoring is one of the body's mechanisms for releasing this stored tension.
The psoas muscle. Berceli paid particular attention to the psoas (pronounced SO-as), a deep core muscle connecting the spine to the legs. Sometimes called the "muscle of the soul," the psoas is intimately involved in the fear response: it contracts when we curl into a protective foetal position and is involved in the fight-or-flight response. Chronic stress often manifests as chronic psoas tension.
Autonomic nervous system regulation. The tremor mechanism appears to help shift the autonomic nervous system from sympathetic dominance (fight/flight) toward parasympathetic restoration. Many practitioners report feeling calmer and more relaxed after tremoring.
Fascial release. Recent research on fascia: the connective tissue that permeates the entire body: suggests that tremoring may help release tension held in the fascial system, not just in individual muscles.
The psoas muscle connecting spine and legs
Research and Evidence
Since TRE's development, various studies have begun to investigate its effects. While the research base is still growing, preliminary findings are encouraging:
- Studies with military veterans have shown reductions in PTSD symptoms
- Research with healthcare workers has demonstrated decreased anxiety and improved sleep
- Studies in various populations have shown reductions in chronic pain and muscular tension
- Improvements in heart rate variability (a measure of autonomic regulation) have been documented
It is worth noting that high-quality controlled research on body-based practices is challenging to conduct: it is difficult to create a convincing placebo for a physical exercise, and individual responses vary widely. TRE is best understood not as a clinically proven treatment for specific conditions but as a self-help tool for nervous system regulation and stress release.
While TRE can be a valuable tool for stress management and general wellbeing, it is not a substitute for professional mental health treatment. Those with significant trauma histories, psychiatric conditions, or physical health concerns should consult appropriate professionals and consider learning TRE from a certified provider.
TRE in the Somatic Landscape
TRE occupies a unique position among somatic approaches. Unlike Somatic Experiencing, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, or Hakomi: which typically require trained practitioners to guide the work: TRE is designed as a self-help tool. Once learned, it can be practised independently.
This accessibility is both a strength and a responsibility. The strength is that TRE can reach people who might never access a somatic therapist: whether due to geography, cost, or simply because they would never seek out such treatment. The responsibility is that self-practice requires good self-regulation skills and the judgement to know when professional support is needed.
TRE also differs from many somatic approaches in its physical entry point. While SE, for example, often works primarily with sensation and imagery, TRE uses physical exercises to directly activate the tremor mechanism. This can make it more accessible to people who struggle with subtle sensation-based work.
Many practitioners integrate TRE with other modalities. Therapists trained in various approaches incorporate TRE into their work with clients. Yoga teachers use it to support students' nervous system regulation. Bodyworkers find it complements hands-on treatment. TRE's flexibility allows it to serve as both a standalone practice and a component of broader healing work.
The Global TRE Community
Since its development, TRE has spread worldwide. There are certified TRE providers in over 60 countries. Training programmes prepare both individual practitioners and professionals who wish to incorporate TRE into their work.
The TRE for All Foundation works to make the method accessible in communities affected by trauma and disaster, often training local facilitators to offer TRE in schools, community centres, and other accessible settings.
This global spread reflects the universality of the tremor mechanism: while cultural contexts differ, the body's stress response and its need for resolution are human constants.
Moving Forward
Understanding TRE's origins helps contextualise the practice. It emerged not from academic theory but from direct observation of humans in extremity: and from the recognition that the body has its own wisdom for healing that we have often learned to suppress.
In the next section, we explore the tremor mechanism in more detail: what happens physiologically when we tremor, why the body responds this way, and how this natural process supports healing.