Skip to main content

About the TRE™ guide

Purpose​

The TRE™ Guide provides comprehensive, accessible information about Tension & Trauma Releasing Exercises for anyone seeking to understand and practise this powerful somatic healing method.

The guide aims to:

  • Make TRE™ knowledge freely available to anyone interested in body-based healing
  • Provide thorough instruction while emphasising safety and self-regulation
  • Bridge the gap between academic understanding and practical application
  • Support both newcomers and experienced practitioners
  • Complement (not replace) working with Certified TRE™ Providers

Approach and philosophy​

  • Safety first — Self-regulation and working within your window of tolerance are paramount. We emphasise containment and stopping techniques before exploring intensity.
  • Body wisdom — We trust that the body has innate healing intelligence. TRE™ is about creating conditions for what the body already knows how to do.
  • Accessibility — Information should be freely available. While Certified TRE™ Providers are invaluable, the basic knowledge of TRE™ should be accessible to all.
  • Integration — TRE™ is one tool among many. We encourage exploration of complementary practices and professional support when needed.
  • Science-informed — We draw on polyvagal theory, neuroscience, and somatic psychology while acknowledging that body-based practices often outpace formal research.

Contributors​

Sources and influences​

This guide draws on:

  • Official TRE™ methodology developed by Dr David Berceli
  • Polyvagal theory (Stephen Porges)
  • Somatic Experiencing® (Peter Levine)
  • Trauma research (Bessel van der Kolk, Gabor Maté, and others)
  • Steve Haines’ accessible guides to trauma, pain, and the body

For further reading and research, see the Resources section.

What this guide is not​

This guide is not:

  • Medical or therapeutic advice
  • Official training for becoming a Certified TRE™ Provider
  • A substitute for working with a Certified TRE™ Provider, especially for those with significant trauma history
  • Affiliated with Dr David Berceli or TRE™ for All, Inc.

For official TRE™ information, visit treglobal.org.

License​

This guide is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0).