Since discovering the benefits for himself 12 years ago, physiotherapist Richmond Heath has been incorporating Tension and Trauma Release Exercise (TRE) therapy into his treatments, and now he’s on a mission to spread the word.

TRE is a self-care technique that deliberately invokes spontaneous involuntary movements, commonly referred to as ‘neurogenic tremors, in a safe and controlled way.

“In physio terms, it can be described as a functional neurology technique or a form of sensory-motor retraining that involves the deliberate activation of natural ‘reflexive’ type movements,” explains Mr Heath

“The key point of difference of TRE is that it invokes subcortically generated involuntary movements – this means it offers a significantly different entry point into the neuromuscular system than volitionally directed movement and relaxation.

“It allows the body to release and reorganise tension, movement, pain and dissociative patterns below the level of conscious awareness and control, making it a great adjunct to physiotherapy treatment.”

Mr Heath says TRE can be used to treat a number of different conditions, including to reduce tension and pain, release stress, reduce anxiety, improve sleep, deepen embodiment, enhance creativity and relationships, recover from trauma, improve movement quality, increase flexibility and dynamic core stability, reduce sports training recovery time, support rehabilitation and improve general freedom of movement.

“Others use it to enhance mindfulness, decision making under pressure and the entrainment of peak performance flow states – including in a group setting to entrain neurobiological group flow states,” he says.

Integrating trauma and its impacts on the body is a “bright new frontier on the horizon of the physiotherapy profession”, says Mr Heath.

“A huge percentage of the conditions we see as physiotherapists are the direct result of subcortically generated tension, bracing, pain, disconnection and numbness associated with the chronic activation of habitual defensive reactions associated with unresolved stress and trauma.

“TRE offers an empowering self-care technique that our clients can use as a stand-alone practice or integrated into our existing treatment methods and exercise programs to enhance and support treatment outcomes.

It also helps to reframe and destigmatise the shakes and tremors commonly witnessed during general exercise, Pilates, core stability training and rehabilitation.

“Despite no research into the phenomenon most physios will explain shakes and tremors during exercise as a sign of weakness, fatigue and lack of control. In one sense they are right in relation to volitional movement and control, but in another sense they are wrong as they are the doorway to a deeper movement process that is able to reorganise the neuromuscular system in a very different way to consciously directed volitional movement alone.”

Mr Heath says TRE is also changing the way physiotherapists manage pre and post birth conditions, and chronic pain management.

“These concepts are a whole new frontier in the physiotherapy world with the integration of a trauma-informed model of the body and movement coming from outside the traditional) focus.

“TRE and the use of neurogenic tremors is a perfect bridge between the traditionally siloed approaches between ‘mental health with the more body and movement based professions such as physio.

“Just as the ‘trauma therapy and PTSD treatment world’ is starting to integrate the body into its treatment approaches, so too the Physio world is on the cusp of integrating ‘trauma’ into its model of the body.”

Mr Heath has been teaching TRE to people full time for the last 12 years and it is now the primary process that he uses in his work.

“I use it to empower people in their own recovery and to manage stress, anxiety and unresolved trauma, so in turn to help them to optimise their mental health and physical wellbeing.”

He also runs public workshops and professional trainings, and offers individual sessions both in person and via telehealth.

“Perhaps most significantly, my particular focus is less on end-stage treatment after the fact and much more about a preventative, wellbeing or even performance enhancing approach.

“This is where the real potential for TRE existing – in preventative or wellbeing health as well as in the self-management of sub-syndromal conditions.

“Given just about every condition we see is exacerbated by stress, using TRE to downregulate the stress response has the potential to assist most people in some beneficial way.”

“It’s a fantastic complimentary process to most things we do in physiotherapy.”

Mr Heath’s course provides a balance between the theory of TRE, as well as guidance through the TRE sessions with the ultimate aim that people are empowered to use the technique on their own.

“The take up has been fantastic, with almost 7000 people enrolled in the course over the last three years from more than 30 different countries.

“TRE will be of benefit to anyone who has any level of unconscious stress or tension in their body or their life - which potentially means everybody.”