TRE® Training

A cutting-edge approach to treating trauma, stress, and even PTSD.

Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercises (TRE®) with Michelle Steinke-Baumgard of One Fit Widow.

All TRE® sessions are run by Michelle Steinke-Baumgard, a certified TRE® provider, over zoom and arranged via our calendar below to best fit your needs. Michelle has been a certified TRE® provider since 2019 and has used this method to help people worldwide at her wellness adventure retreats.

What is TRE®?

Tension and Trauma Release Exercise (TRE®) is an innovative, body-based technique that reduces the impact of deeply held stress, tension, and trauma (including PTSD).

Traditional treatments for the symptoms of chronic stress, tension, and trauma have involved talking therapies and medication. However, evidence continues to grow to support the use of TRE® as a highly effective, complementary approach.

The TRE® technique, created in the 1990s by Dr. David Berceli, Ph.D., is based on the fundamental idea, backed by recent research, that stress, tension, and trauma are psychological and physical.

With a background in psychotherapy and therapeutic body work, Berceli has developed a sequence of simple yet innovative exercises that assist the body in releasing deep muscular patterns of stress, tension, and trauma. TRE® safely activates a natural reflex mechanism of shaking or vibrating that releases muscular tension, calming down the nervous system. When this muscular shaking/vibrating mechanism is activated in a safe and controlled environment, the body is encouraged to return back to a state of balance. Watch Dr. Berceli’s introduction video below:

When this shaking/vibrating mechanism is triggered – in a safe, controlled environment – it has multiple positive effects on the body.

What are the Benefits of TRE®?

Over time (usually less than three months), the physiology of the entire body can return to balance, and the immune system can return to normal functioning, with benefits including:

• Less Worry & Anxiety
• Reduces Symptoms of PTSD
• More Energy & Endurance
• Less Relationship Conflict/Improved Relationships
• Improved Sleep and Natural States of Rest
• Calming and Balancing the Nervous System
• Less Workplace Stress
• Less Relationship Conflict
• Reduced Muscle & Back Pain
• Increased Flexibility
• Greater Emotional Resiliency
• Decreases Symptoms of Vicarious Trauma
• Healing of Old Injuries
• Lessened Anxiety Surrounding Serious Illness
• Relief from Chronic Medical Conditions
• Improved Sleep
• Better Focus and Concentration
• Feeling more Relaxed and Calm
• Relief from Long-Standing Physical Pain
• Greater Emotional Resilience
• More Balanced Mood, Including Reduced Feelings of Anger, Fear, Doubt, Rage, and Anxiety, Increased Feelings of Love, Generosity, Openness, and Caring
• Release of Deeply Buried Emotional/Physical Trauma
• A Healthier Body and Mind Awareness
• As well as helping the body to naturally balance the nervous system, TRE® also has the potential to help with digestive issues, blood pressure irregularities, fatigue, anxiety, depression, and much more.

TRE® has been shown to achieve positive results in a short period of time. In just 10-15 minutes, a few times a week, it is possible to completely release dysfunctional patterns, behaviors, and ways of being that have become deeply embedded over time.

TRE® focuses on releasing the psoas muscle, which connects the lumbar vertebrae to the pelvis. This powerful muscle holds physical, emotional, and mental stress that we carry in our bodies over the course of our lives.

How Does TRE® Work?

Stress, tension, and trauma are first experienced by our nervous system – and then expressed through our bodies and minds.

They are our body’s automatic response to any action or situation that places extra physical or psychological demands on us that could disturb our balance, such as:
new or unexpected events
things we feel we have no control over
situations that threaten our feeling of self.

When we experience anything that appears to threaten our well-being, this automatic survival mechanism kicks in. It instantly creates physical changes in our body, including the production of stress hormones, triggering the ‘fight or flight’ response. This stress response is the body’s natural reaction to keep us on high alert, motivated and safe until the ‘danger’ has passed. It’s a healthy reaction that can sometimes be essential for our survival – helping us to push through challenging, intense or scary situations.

Our bodies typically return to a relaxed state after the stress response has done its job without any lasting adverse effects. However, there are times when our stress response is repeatedly activated – or persists over extended periods – and we can get stuck in a permanent state of ‘fight or flight’. When this charge is not released, it is stored in the body in the muscles and fascia – as a body memory. It can become toxic, causing a wide range of physical and mental health issues.

TRE® is an amazing and highly effective tool that can help the body to naturally release this charge – to reset the nervous system and return the body to a state of balance. As a result, it reduces many issues linked to a stressed, nervous system, including anxiety, sleep problems, depression, ADHD, and poor emotional regulation.

The technique involves three main steps:
First, a series of simple exercises are performed as a physical warm-up. These mildly stress and stretch the body’s core muscles and prepare the body to activate its natural shaking/vibrating mechanism. While this is typically a natural process, it is one that we often resist, which is why our bodies have been unable to discharge any built-up stress naturally.

Once activated, the gentle shaking/vibrating begins deep in the core of the body, moving to the legs, and reverberating up along the spine, releasing tension from the base of the spine to the top of the head. These are called neurogenic muscle tremors and are the body’s natural way of shaking off the effects brought about by stress and trauma. The shaking can trigger physical or emotional release, which (unlike situations of overwhelm) can be self-regulated. Through TRE®training, we have control over the intensity and can moderate when, where and how much we release at any given time.
Finally, it is important to rest, to allow the mind and body to settle and integrate any emotions that have arisen. This allows the brain to establish a new neural pattern related to relaxation. Endorphins (natural pain relief hormones) are released and restore the natural state of balance.

With practice, the muscle shaking/vibrating can be activated spontaneously without the need to perform the exercises.

Who Can Benefit from TRE® ?

You! Since this shaking mechanism in the muscles is part of our natural behavior as humans, everyone can benefit from TRE. This shaking of the muscles increases the resiliency of the body because it causes deep relaxation that naturally reduces stress levels. It can release emotions ranging from mild upset to severe anxiety, whether it is caused by work stress, excessive worry, conflict in relationships, physical stresses, or traumas from accidents.
Whether you are a parent/spouse who would like more patience with your family, a victim of violence or accident, a soldier suffering from PTSD, an athlete, or simply a person who wants to become more resilient and just feel better about life, you can benefit from TRE.

Important Information:

You MUST first register for an introductory session (1.5 hours), so Michelle can fully explain TRE and walk you through the process more slowly and completely. After your initial (group of personal) session, you may register for a follow-up session.

Things you will need to be prepared for your TRE session:

• Phone or computer camera with Video zoom feature ON
• Journal
• Water
• Yoga Mat or Towel
• Comfortable clothing (prefer lighter colors, so it’s easier for Michelle to see your body move)
• Empty wall space so you can lean on the wall.

Pricing for TRE with Michelle

Private 1.1 Sessions
First-time Session
$150 for 1.5 hours

Ongoing Follow-up Sessions
$100 for 1.25 hours

Small Group – Max 4-6 Participants

First-time Session
$75 for 1.5 hours

Ongoing Follow-Up Session
$50 for 1.2.5 hours

Disclaimer

**TRE® is a safe and effective stress-release technique for most people. The TRE process should not be used as a medical or psychological substitute for trauma recovery procedures.

Individuals who have physical or psychological/psychiatric conditions that require strict regulation, individuals with fragile psychological defenses, a complex history of trauma, or restricting physical or medical limitations should consult their medical practitioner or a Certified TRE Provider prior to performing these exercises.