Trauma Release Exercises (TRE), developed by Dr. David Berceli, offer an innovative approach to managing stress and trauma stored in the body. TRE aligns with the CORE Compass framework, which focuses on achieving balance and vitality in key areas: Operational and Physical Vitality, Curiosity and Cognitive Growth, Resilience and Emotional Equilibrium, and Spiritual Harmony. This article explores how TRE can support each of these aspects, helping individuals achieve balance and well-being by releasing the physical and emotional effects of trauma.
Application in CORE Compass
TRE supports the CORE Compass framework by addressing key dimensions of human vitality and growth. The exercises work by inducing neurogenic tremors—natural tremors that help release tension and stress stored in the body (Berceli et al., 2014). By facilitating this physical release, TRE has a direct impact on physical vitality, emotional equilibrium, cognitive growth, and spiritual harmony.
- Operational and Physical Vitality: TRE’s core mechanism of releasing tension through tremors helps improve physical vitality by reducing the physiological impacts of stress and trauma. Regular practice can alleviate muscle tension, reduce fatigue, and improve overall physical well-being. As Berceli’s research suggests, individuals who engage in TRE report a reduction in physical symptoms associated with chronic stress, including tension and pain (Berceli et al., 2014).
- Curiosity and Cognitive Growth: Releasing physical tension can improve mental clarity and focus. Trauma can create cognitive barriers, such as difficulty concentrating or memory problems, but TRE’s ability to reset the nervous system can help alleviate these symptoms. By reducing the mental fog associated with trauma, individuals can re-engage with learning, creativity, and personal development. Studies on non-professional caregivers practicing TRE showed that stress reduction led to improved emotional and cognitive outcomes (Berceli et al., 2014).
- Resilience and Emotional Equilibrium: TRE directly supports emotional resilience by helping the body release emotional stress stored within the muscles. Trauma often manifests in chronic emotional tension, which can contribute to anxiety, depression, and emotional instability. Through TRE, the release of neurogenic tremors helps restore emotional balance, as evidenced by a study on East African refugees who experienced a significant reduction in trauma-related symptoms after practicing TRE (Parker, 2024).
- Spiritual Harmony: TRE fosters a deeper connection between mind and body, creating space for spiritual growth and introspection. In trauma recovery, reconnecting with one’s physical self is crucial to achieving a sense of inner peace. The tremoring process helps individuals feel more grounded, facilitating a sense of spiritual harmony that enhances their overall well-being. The physiological release TRE promotes aligns with the idea that healing trauma involves both body and spirit, a concept emphasized in trauma literature such as Ray (2015).
Benefits within CORE Compass
TRE’s benefits can be understood in the context of the CORE Compass framework as follows:
- Physical Vitality: TRE reduces physical symptoms of stress, helping individuals maintain energy and vitality.
- Emotional Resilience: The release of stored trauma leads to emotional stability and improved resilience against future stressors.
- Cognitive Growth: By alleviating mental blocks associated with trauma, TRE fosters clarity and intellectual growth.
- Spiritual Harmony: The process promotes a reconnection with the body, enhancing one’s sense of spiritual alignment and peace.
By addressing both the physical and psychological dimensions of trauma, TRE supports the CORE Compass goal of achieving a balanced, harmonious life.
How to Integrate TRE into the CORE Compass
Integrating TRE into one’s routine requires consistency and intentionality. Here are practical steps for incorporating TRE into the CORE Compass framework:
- Start Small: Begin with the basic set of seven TRE exercises under the guidance of a certified TRE provider or by using instructional materials. Practicing TRE for 15 to 20 minutes a day can help individuals get comfortable with the process of inducing and controlling neurogenic tremors.
- Focus on Physical Vitality: Schedule TRE sessions after periods of intense physical or mental stress. This allows the exercises to function as a recovery tool, restoring physical and operational vitality by reducing muscle tension and rebalancing the nervous system.
- Enhance Emotional Resilience: Engage in TRE after emotionally taxing experiences to release accumulated emotional tension. Over time, this practice helps foster emotional equilibrium, particularly for those dealing with trauma or chronic stress.
- Support Cognitive Growth and Curiosity: Use TRE to reset after mentally exhausting tasks. This will clear cognitive clutter and allow for more creative and curious engagement in daily life.
- Promote Spiritual Harmony: Integrate TRE into a broader mindfulness or meditation practice to connect physical release with spiritual introspection. This combined practice supports a deeper connection between body and spirit, promoting overall spiritual balance.
Conclusion
Trauma Release Exercises (TRE) are a valuable tool within the CORE Compass framework, helping individuals achieve balance in key areas of their lives. By releasing stored physical and emotional tension, TRE fosters physical vitality, emotional equilibrium, cognitive growth, and spiritual harmony. Supported by scientific evidence, TRE offers a practical method for those seeking to enhance their well-being by addressing the root causes of stress and trauma. Regular integration of TRE into one’s life can significantly contribute to a harmonious and balanced existence in alignment with the CORE Compass principles.
References
Berceli, D. (2005). The Revolutionary Trauma Release Process: Transcend Your Toughest Times. Namaste Publishing.
Berceli, D. (2013). Shake It Off Naturally: Reduce Stress, Anxiety, and Tension with TRE. Trauma Recovery Services.
Berceli, D., Salmon, M., Bonifas, R., & Ndefo, N. (2014). Effects of self-induced unclassified therapeutic tremors on quality of life among non-professional caregivers: a pilot study. Global Advances in Health and Medicine, 3(5), 45-48. https://doi.org
Parker, J. (2024). The effect of tension and trauma releasing exercises (TRE) on trauma symptoms in East African refugees. Psychology, 15(01), 77-91. https://doi.org
Ray, A. (2015). The body keeps the score: brain, mind, and body in the healing of trauma. The Permanente Journal, 19(3). https://doi.org
(2016). Preliminary results of several small sample studies in the Ukraine, during TRE trainings on different levels. Psychological Counseling and Psychotherapy, (6). https://doi.org
