Tension Releasing Exercises
It’s hard to be confident when your body is tense and stressed!
Is your jaw clenched? Are your shoulders hiked up? Is your stomach tied up in knots? Whether it’s due to imposter syndrome at work or just the stress of living at this particular time in history, most of us could use some relief from stress and tension.
But trying to vent about it can end up making you feel worse! That’s why it can be so powerful to release stress directly from your body.
Open your stress-release valve
You know how someone in a scary situation is described as “shaking in their boots?” We tend to think that shaking is just an expression of stress, but TRE® (Tension Releasing Exercises) is based on the idea that it’s actually a release of stress.
What if you could let the stress out without having to get into a scary situation? TRE is designed to do exactly that — get the shake going inside of a safe, calm session.
I just felt absolutely calm, my body felt really still and peaceful, like it really had done something, had let something go.
Margot T.
What actually happens in a TRE session?
Standing Exercises
We warm up your muscles with a few standing exercises, which we can modify to accommodate any disabilities or injuries you may have.
No need to worry about whether you’re strong enough or flexible enough — it’s customized to your body.
Lying Down Exercises
Next, we alternate between relaxing and using your muscles while lying down, for instance on a yoga mat. During this portion, your inner thigh muscles usually get tired and start to shake a little bit.
Relax and Shake
Now, you lie back and relax, taking any strain off of your muscles. This is the weird part – the shaking doesn’t stop! It can even move into different muscles. We trust your body to release the right muscles at the right time. But ultimately, you’re still in control — you can stop (and restart) the shaking any time you want.
That’s bananas. It almost sounds in these pants like I’m hula dancing, but it’s like I can’t make my body do that even if I wanted to.
Ethan L.
When I watched a YouTube video [on TRE], it felt very complicated, and this felt more approachable. I was surprised by how intense the tremors felt at a low exertion level — that was also more approachable than I thought.
James S.
How does it make people feel?
At the end of the first session, people often report:
- a deep sense of relaxation
- renewed energy
- self-compassion
It was the calm euphoria of meditating but without needing the same amount of focus.
Charlie L.
I feel more energetic. I’ve kind of had a lazy day, and now I feel like l can go get ready for the work week.
Anna H.
It’s sometimes really hard to tell when we’re doing good [in my work]. We just wanna know that we made a difference and it’s hard, you get that data every like like 6 months or 2 years. And I’m feeling a sense of self-compassion about that, that it doesn’t matter, we did really good work even if [things don’t go our way].
Ethan L.
The benefits can add up over time if you keep practicing, too. For me, months of tremoring took me to the point where things that worried me no longer made me feel like I was going to vibrate out of my skin. So many situations that used to give me a jolt of adrenaline simply don’t anymore.
Skip all the talk
One thing that’s really hard about working with self-doubt is that you can get caught up in analyzing yourself, strategizing about what to do next, and telling the same stories over and over again. TRE gives you a way to work with your nerves that sidesteps all of that by going straight to the body. This means it works well for people who:
- Have trouble “getting out of their heads”
- Have trouble meditating
- Have trouble relaxing, and/or
- Know better, but still don’t feel better
I feel lighter. I think I don’t notice how tense I am until I’m not tense anymore.
Lori F.
Try TRE in a Private, Online Session
Sign up for a single private, online TRE session with me. This is a nice way to get to know TRE — you don’t have to worry about looking weird in front of a group, you can do it in the comfort of your own home, and you can ask me all the questions you want.
Can’t find a good time? Email me at presley at partswithpresley.com — I may be able to open one up for you.
Presley was very grounding and supportive during the session. I started the session with some pain and left with some relief.
Natalie K.
Get Updates on Group TRE Classes
Want to hear when I’m offering an online TRE class, or an in-person TRE class in the Somerville or greater Boston area? Join my mailing list!
FAQ
What will I need?
For an online TRE session, you will need:
- Clothing you can move around in — stretchy or loose. It doesn’t have to be spandex, but jeans or a suit might feel constrictive.
- A firm but comfortable surface, like a floor with a yoga mat, carpet, or pillow on it.
- A working webcam, with background blur and motion tracking off.
- Enough space for your webcam to show you on the floor, capturing your face and your legs.
- Optional: one of the key positions in TRE is to lie on your back with the soles of your feet together and your knees out to the side (sometimes known as a butterfly position). If you would be more comfortable in this position with pillows under your knees, back, neck, or head, bring those pillows. If you would be more comfortable with a blanket over your legs, bring a blanket.
Can I get TRE mixed with coaching?
Yes! If you buy any of my coaching packages, we can do TRE during any of your sessions. Coaching and TRE complement each other well; TRE helps you get in touch with your body, and coaching helps integrate the effects of TRE into your self-concept.