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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​

Acknowledgements​

This guide exists thanks to the people who shaped and supported the work:

  • Steve Haines and Susan Porter, my TRE Certification Trainers, whose teaching runs through much of what you’ll find here.
  • Arno Levin, who generously proofread the guide as it took shape, offering care and attention at every step.

With gratitude for their generosity. Any errors that remain are my own.

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.

Licence​

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