Let’s Learn!

Have you ever had to have a difficult conversation with someone or done a public speech? Do you remember what you felt like? Were you by chance shaky, “shook up”, or nervous? Maybe you experienced shaking in your body after a physical injury or accident? Maybe after a birth? Maybe you noticed that your dog shakes when there is a thunderstorm out of fear. These are all typical examples of whats called “neurogenic tremors” (somatic tremors), also known simply as shaking. It’s the way the body discharges stress, tension, and trauma from the nervous system and the primary fight or flight muscles. This response is completely normal and can be observed in all mammals.

Dr. Peter Levine developed an entire method for treating trauma called somatic experiencing from studying wild animals stress responses and nervous systems. He quickly realized that wild animals don’t develop typical trauma symptoms like humans or domesticated animals despite constantly being under the threat of death. He realized that animals always complete the fight, flight, and freeze response-where as humans have the tendency to inhibit the completion of these natural survival mechanisms. The freeze response in particular, which is akin to a possum “playing dead”, activates when fighting or fleeing are not options. The body then goes into a self preservation, immobilized state. Not only does this make us less of a target to predators because they often loose interest in what looks like “dead” prey, but in our final moments before dying at the claws of say, a lion, our body is flooded with Endorphins to help kill the pain, and we naturally dissociate. In other words, we don’t really want to be in our bodies when we are being harmed. However, the upside is that if the threat (or perceived threat) leaves, our bodies know exactly what to do to rebalance. The massive amount of survival energy that was inhibited with the the immobility phase needs to release, and this is done through shaking or trembling. If this phase doesn’t complete, the body still senses that there is looming threat-which is when symptoms can start to develop. Its a bit like accelerating and pumping the brakes simultaneously.

Another brilliant Dr. and trauma therapist, David Bercelli noticed the same natural tendency for people to shake in stressful situations. He observed the benefits of shaking when he was working in war torn countries in northern African and the middle east during frequent bombings. He noticed that when people allowed themselves to tremor they fared far better than those who didn’t and did not develop the typical PTSD symptoms. Because of the lack of access to resources in many of these countries, he developed what is now known as TRE (Trauma and Tension Releasing Exercises) as a way to help people induce these therapeutic tremors and help balance the nervous system. This gives people a chance to have a lifelong tool to deal with stress and heal trauma on their own. Having the tools to heal trauma is not only empowering, but critical when large populations of people have undergone tremendous suffering. It’s not always realistic to have people go see counselors or psychologists due to lack of access or financial barriers.

Both TRE and Somatic Experiencing work to gradually release this stored survival energy in a safe space and turn off this internal threat alarm that causes severe nervous system dysregulation and dissociation. TRE helps people understand this innate and powerful body response to stress and trauma and work through it gradually.

Literally anyone can benefit from this tension and trauma release exercises. In fact, even if you dont feel particularly stressed, it can help in athletic recovery, reduce physical tension, as well as buffer ourselves from ongoing or future stress. Most people find TRE deeply relaxing. It could be helpful to check out practical tips to decide if TRE would benefit you.