WHAT IS TRE
TRE stands for – Tension/Trauma Release Exercises.
It is a technique or method in which by doing a set of 7 exercises we invite the body to shake – in order to release the tension and stress it has accumulated.
Tension and stress are often accumulated in the body also as pain – mostly in the shoulders, in the neck or in the lower back.
This method of releasing stress was studied by David Bercelli – a social worker and body oriented trauma therapists who worked a lot in the field, in war zones – and has observed that during bombing when people were shelled they huddled against a wall and assumed a posture where hips and shoulders contracted towards each other as if they were going into a ball, heads down. This is a body response to danger, protecting the most vulnerable area.
David also noticed that after the threat has passed children would shake while adults did not.
He later started to watch people in these situation and study the muscles reactions both in humans and in animals.
He concluded that all mammals (so also humans) are genetically encoded to tremor.
Animals shake freely after a period of immobilization. This happens either after sleep or when they face danger and “freeze” and play dead. In this way they can release the energy accumulated in the body when muscles are contracted.
Humans culturally and because of our developed neocortex hold tension in the body. Shaking is not a welcomed behavior. This is why our body holds energy for us
TRE allows us to induce involuntary tremors in the body, or putting it simply – shake the stress off. This is how we regain the state of their natural balance.
In other words, TRE unleashes the relaxation response from the parasympathetic nervous system. It does this by switching off the survival response. This invites a movement from protection to connection.
Or we could say reduces the autonomic nervous system reactivity after the threat or danger has ended. (David Bercelli)
For more information please check https://treglobal.org/
THE LAST SHAKE FOR 2025 ARE
25/11/25
16/12/25
BOTH ON 19.30 ATHENS TIME, AS USUAL ON THE ZOOM PLATFORM.
booking at kato.joan@gmail.com
Joanna Kato psychotherapy 