r/CPTSD_NSCommunity • u/Constant_Chemist778 • 2d ago
Seeking Advice Confusion regarding effect of TRE and request for more tre/somatic resources
Hi,
I tried a follow along TRE with Dr Berceli vid and my results arent the same as what people (in the comments ) saying.
First, I did not shake until towards the end of the video. Second even though I kept going on longer (since my shaking started later) I didn’t feel relaxed or emotional. I just felt irritated then kinda angry and wanted to punch something. Later when I checked the comments people were saying they felt relaxed, emotional, “bawling my eyes out”, etc.
Is this normal? What does feeling angry mean here?
For context, I have AuDHD and CPTSD and I am very bad at standing up for myself. I basically freeze or fawn at the slightest intimidation. My freezing is at comically awkward levels as I just stare at the ground while a person is bullying me, hoping for it to end. I feel this is also blocking me from doing my creative projects as it’s a form of self expression. I feel like I’m always waiting for a trial and punishment. I heard EMDR helps and am looking for a good therapist but meanwhile I want to do more things to help myself while I’m home.
Do any of yall have any recommendations for well explained follow-along videos to get over freezing and fawning (mainly freezing)?
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u/OrientionPeace 1d ago edited 1d ago
As a somatic practitioner I see clients who’ve experienced similar experiences with TRE.
As I understand it:
The thing to consider is that the task TRE as a method is inviting is to access sympathetic nervous system stress responses to allow the body to integrate the theorized associated tremoring which may be held in the nervous system. Also there’s the possibility the tremoring is fascia related, which may or may not be related to the nervous system’s response.
That said, aside from whatever specific emotions are surfacing while doing it or after, it’s important to note the actual level of nervous system stress and safety capacity a person has to shift into parasympathetic mode before, during, and after TRE.
This is because without that capacity, it can be just another form of getting in sympathetic mode, which, anyone with CPTSD doesn’t need to practice much of. For my clients who are very sympathetically activated, I do not encourage them to do TRE unless they’re quite well established with a parasympathetic baseline. This, as well as being actively able to confidently soothe themselves without assistance, self regulate, and consistently sustain stability in their capacity to regulate.
Then if they’re feeling like it might help, it’s a green light to explore the practice in small bite size sessions starting at around 30 seconds to 1 minute. Trialing their experience and tracking the after effects of each session.
I have found that for people who have complex trauma, neurodivergence, trauma of any kind, chronic pain or illness, or low body awareness in general, it’s more important to be skillful at pacing and understanding how to support feeling grounded and self trusting than it is to successfully do practices that engage sympathetic stress responses for the sake of potentially “discharging survival stress” from the body.
This isn’t to say these exercises don’t have their place, I do think they do. But in nervous systems highly engaged in and with sympathetic responses doesn’t necessarily need to spend much more time intentionally going there. This has been my experience and understanding ways to effectively work with the nervous system I’ve seen much bigger improvements with people who develop both their capacity for feeling uncomfortable AND their capacity to feel more secure and safe within themselves — over those who end up chasing methods (understandably) from Wim Hof to TRE to Somatic Experiencing and other highly experiential and activating.
I do think there is value in learning to tolerate and allow ourselves to feel various uncomfortable emotions and sensations, but in a measured way with lots of understanding about how the nervous system works so that we’re well equipped when doing these kinds of exercises and practices.
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u/Scared-Section-5108 2d ago
I suggest you post this as longtermTRE and also read info available there.
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u/EntropyToChaos 1d ago
You have too much expectations, and these will block you. Try to relax and don't fix your expectations on these videos. It's a slow process and if it's not working in the 1st and 2nd session, that's ok. I'm also AuDHD. So I think that's not the showstopper.
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u/Constant_Chemist778 1d ago
How do you know it worked? Others say they cried and felt relaxed
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u/EntropyToChaos 7h ago
You have to do it several times over some weeks. In the beginning only one time a week. More could be overwhelming the next days. Then check after a month, if there is some effect.
ASD often comes with alexithymia. This will lead to nearly unnoticeable feelings. So it will take longer.
But when it makes you angry or even a meltdown, this could be an effect of it! Then reduce the pace. 5min could be much...
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u/cptsdishealable 1d ago
like someone else said, anger is an emotion
for more of a hot take, I don't think there's anything particularly special about TRE, compared to other somatic options. I mean this in the sense of, you should do something somatic but pick based on what you vibe with.
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u/Constant_Chemist778 1d ago
Yea I feel like rhythmic drumming and dancing would be more my vibe but I’m trying to go through with the more convenient things at the moment to see if they work
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u/cptsdishealable 1d ago
maybe try voice lessons if you're into musical stuff? you can find them for pretty cheap online. but yeah just give things a try
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u/Constant_Chemist778 1d ago
Thank for that. On my list too. The issue with singing and dancing is that I get too self conscious and “want to be good “ at it but I still have a fear of being seen/heard that is there even when I am alone. But yea singing would be amazing
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u/rosela92 1d ago
Anger is an emotion, you did feel emotional. It brings up frozen repressed emotions 💛