Customer Reviews

Trauma Releasing Exercises (TRE): A revolutionary new method for stress/trauma recovery

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I have read several books about healing post traumatic stress disorder, and this is by far the most helpful. Other books, such as Judith Herman's excellent Trauma and Recovery, explain what PTSD is and what its symptoms are, and how a therapist can help her client heal, but this book is a self-help book, in the best sense of the word. It enables a person suffering from PTSD to heal herself.

The first part of the book explains how the brain responds to traumatic experiences, and why humans have a hard time shrugging off trauma, unlike wild animals. ( For more on this subject, see Waking the Tiger, by Levine.) It discusses the various responses to a traumatic experience, including freezing, in addition to the better-known fight or flight response. It demonstrates how a history of trauma in communities leads to cycles of war and violence.

The last part of the book is the most valuable part: the chapter on how to do the trauma releasing exercises. These exercises stress the muscles of the lower body, inducing a shaking or tremor that mimics an animal's natural response to trauma. In the final exercise, you lie on the floor and shake, literally, for up to fifteen minutes. Suffice it to say, you feel better afterwards. A lot better.

I found that I sometimes had some sad feelings about the traumatic events in my life after doing these exercises, but the overwhelming fear and rage were gone. And I felt more like being with other people. This parallels Herman's model of the three stages of recovery: safety, then mourning, then reintegration into one's community. The trauma releasing exercises accelerate the first stage, by a great deal.

This is not to say that you don't have to make sure you're safe. You do. Patriarchy is a dangerous system to live in, and it hurts both women and men. Once you are over your trauma, find ways to stay safe, but keep these exercises in your medicine cabinet.

I recommend that you buy his later book. I bought both of them and found that this earlier book is wholly contained in the later book. He added more exercises including the one which helped me. I have reviewed that book and you can see my comments there. I will say that the exercises helped me significantly. The Revolutionary Trauma Release Process: Transcend Your Toughest Times

As a body psychotherapist, I tried these exercises with a very big surprise. without any psychological approach, deep and also old trauma effects can be reduced. theses exercises reach one of the deepest part of our body awaking the not very kown body self healing capacities .for me was an unique opportunitie to get in touch with very deep tension coming from the very first part of my life as a baby, where any kind of therapy and psychotherapy , using the word, cannot really join and heal. The amazing things is the simplicity of the exercises so easy to be used by anyone, and in any environnement, I am thinking to hyperactive children in school for exemple.
I dont know David Berceli personnaly, but I thank him for his inspiration about the "creation" of this sequence of exercices, they deserve to be known and practiced by any person. Could the world be less sick and more relaxed ?? ;)
Really worth it to try!

I am fascinated by Dr. Berceli's research work!! I encourage everyone to read his book - particularly if you are a medical doctor, a scientist, a life coach, or a therapist of any type!

It is refreshing and exciting to read about a new approach to dealing with chronic stress, tension and trauma. As a social worker working in organizations I am constantly asked about techniques to deal with the symptoms of chronic physiological stress such as insomnia, back pain, and irritability. This book and TRE offers a sound process that is self empowering, self initiating and self regulating that produces results. I have been doing the exercises my self for the past year and have had the results that I read about when I first was introduced to TRE.

The book provides the reader with an understanding of the anatomy of stress and a description of the positive impacts of the exercise. I recommend this book to everyone who wants to take charge of http://www.amazon.com/review/create-review?ie=UTF8&asin=1419607545&store=#their own health and well being.

Joan McDonald, RSW

This book gave a practical exercise that can be done to help deal with trauma and stress. It is very easy to do and practice on your own but if the trauma is great enough you may need a therapist anyway. The author gives many examples of how this has helped others as well as explained how this works and why. I would recommend this book to anyone.

An insightful and leading-edge approach to the mind-body connection. I have read the book and practice the exercises. I definitely experienced a release of pent up tension or anxiety. The benefits have been a less reactive mindset and increased physical relaxation.

Dr Berceli is an expert on Trauma and his book is a gem for anyone interested in this subject. This book is easy to read and very informative. The Trauma Releasing Exercises are explained in great details and with photos. I highly recommend this book!

I've experienced Dr. Berceli's work first-hand, and while deceptively simple, the exercises create a powerful shift in the body. I highly recommend this book, and Berceli's work as a whole. If you're not into reading about it, consider the video.

I found this title right on the money and have used the techniques and released some stress. I have also, involved other people and it is amazing to watch them go through it too. Highly recommend.