Do trauma release exercises work?

Do trauma release exercises work?

Maybe for stress. Nobody has shown they treat trauma.

A 2023 review found 18 TRE studies. They hinted at better mood, sleep and pain. But the studies were of mixed quality, so the reviewer called the results preliminary.

An early study came from TRE’s creator, David Berceli. It had 21 staff at a children’s village, most of them carers, and no comparison group. He also gets royalties from TRE books and DVDs.

One randomised trial, in 28 people with multiple sclerosis (MS), looked at tiredness. It found no clear difference until the numbers were adjusted.

So treat TRE as a hopeful idea, not a proven fix. If trauma is your main worry, start with the NHS options further down.

What are trauma release exercises?

TRE stands for Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercises. It’s a set of moves meant to start shaking in your legs and body. Its makers say the shaking can calm the nervous system.

There are seven exercises in a set order. The shaking is usually strongest in the last one, lying down.

TRE’s makers suggest seeing a qualified provider before you start if you’ve been through severe trauma or have a medical condition. They also say it hasn’t been evaluated by the US Food and Drug Administration.

Want calm without the shaking? Try our relaxation techniques.

Is shaking a sign your body is releasing trauma?

Not on the evidence so far. The exercises are designed to set off the shaking. No study we found shows it means trauma is leaving your body.

That’s the catch from the top of the page. Shaking shows the exercise did what it was built to do. It doesn’t show the trauma has gone.

Trauma can still show up in your body. The NHS lists repeated headaches, tummy problems or pain anywhere in the body with no physical cause. These can be signs of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). So are poor sleep and always looking out for danger.

These can start straight after an event, or months or even years later. If that sounds like you, the next step is a GP or a talking therapy service.

What helps trauma on the NHS?

The NHS treats PTSD with talking therapy first. PTSD usually gets better for most people, but it can last longer for some.

Trauma-focused CBT is a talking therapy. You work through the memory and change what it means to you. EMDR uses eye movements to help you process traumatic memories. NICE suggests it for adults whose trauma, outside combat, was more than 3 months ago.

NICE says adults with PTSD, or clear signs of it, should be offered trauma-focused CBT if they come forward more than 1 month after the event.

Never stop or change a prescribed medicine without your prescriber. To get started, see a GP or refer yourself to NHS talking therapies.

What can I do myself?

Want to try TRE as well? Use it as an extra, not a swap for therapy. Go slowly and stop if it feels like too much.

For other ways to calm down, see managing stress and mindfulness for stress.

When to speak to a GP

Book an appointment, or get urgent help, if:

• You think you have symptoms of PTSD.
• You’ve been diagnosed with PTSD and treatments aren’t helping.
• You need urgent help for your mental health. Call 111 and choose the mental health option, or ask for an urgent GP appointment.
• Someone’s life is at risk, for example they’ve seriously hurt themselves or taken an overdose. Call 999 or go to A&E now.
• You don’t feel you can keep yourself or someone else safe. Call 999 or go to A&E now.

Need to talk now? Call Samaritans on 116 123.

Sudden fear with a racing heart? See panic attack symptoms.