I started learning TRE with Ans four weeks ago. I have been going through a difficult time with a depressive episode and an exacerbated anxiety disorder. I am a mental health clinician.
The first two weeks I noticed some fatigue though I slept very well at night. A breakthrough came after two weeks when I noticed a rapid calming down after a frustrating experience.
Since then, the changes have been even more significant. The depression and anxiety have gone from being very disabling to dramatic improvements. From rating my mood as being a 2 to 5/10 for months, it has gone up to daily averages of 6 to 9/10 and continuing to improve. The anxiety has been debilitating at a 5 to 9/10, unable to function and affected my heart rate, greatly increasing my resting pulse. I am rating the anxiety at mostly 1 or 2 even 0 this week. My heart rate has lowered by 10 beats per minute – back to normal!
This fourth week has seen not only these improvements but also more energy, motivation, more hopefulness and positivity. These positive improvements make it easier to build on the other things that are beneficial to our mental health such as being more physically active and socially engaged.
I am surprised at how well and how quickly TRE has produced these effects although it fits perfectly with well-known trauma research and the impact on the body. I am continuing to practice regularly and join in group sessions with Ans.
I have done all of my sessions with Ans via Zoom as we are in different countries! I find this to be no hindrance at all to learning this wonderful practice. I wholeheartedly recommend TRE and Ans as your teacher 🙂
Helena
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I am a practicing Doctor. TRE makes sense in medical, spiritual and now observational contexts.
I have struggled with low back pain and recurrent strains since my mid-teens. Physiotherapy was moderately effective but upkeep of exercises proved challenging. Massage was temporarily useful.
I found Ans to be a very responsive and sensitive teacher.
In TRE I have found a treatment which is highly effective and essentially free, the speed of response is immediate, it’s transportable and I can adjust the number of minutes I practice based on my symptom level and available time.
I recommend Ans to many patients and have had similar feedback that she is an excellent teacher.
MB
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I have been practicing TRE for 7 years and it has become an integral part of my life along with regular Yoga practice. I started with one on one sessions with Ans and didn’t really notice a marked change at first but felt very relaxed and calm after a session which I enjoyed so I kept it up. It wasn’t until later in the first year when a friend and colleague commented that I didn’t ever seem to get stressed or upset when under pressure that I realised there had been a shift in my ability to regulate my stress levels and return to a low emotional baseline quite quickly when things went wrong at work. I began to think of my TRE practice as a reset process, I couldn’t stop the things life throws at me, but I could control my reaction to them and move forward in a more positive way.
When I broke my wrist in an accident this year, my TRE practice just kicked in automatically which enabled me to regain composure and calm my panic enough to talk to the medical professionals and make decisions about the treatment options with a clear mind. TRE helped me to remain calm and focused on my recovery in the months of Rehabilitation that followed and I was able to stay positive that I would regain strength and flexibility again even on the days when I experienced much pain and stiffness in the joint. The physiotherapy exercises I had to do several times a day, followed by TRE has proved to be a winning combination.
I practice at home as well as attending a group session on a regular basis to take my practice to a deeper level and keep reminding me of the benefits because sometimes life becomes busy and there is not always the time and space to practice as much as I would like to. I believe the body knows how to heal itself as long as it receives the right messages from the brain and nervous system. I can recommend TRE to everyone as it works on different levels both physical and mental.
Paula
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TRE is a fantastic way to reduce stress levels. Having been on the TRE journey for a number of years with Ans, I find that the TRE group sessions are very beneficial to help me calm my mind. Group TRE feels like a re-set back to my normal self. Setting aside time to do TRE at home is a great way to keep stress levels down during the week. Also I find that when I travel, TRE can help with getting a good nights sleep. Thank you Ans for this very valuable life tool to be able to release stress and bring calm.
Sam
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Yoga and TRE with Ans
I was recommended to Ans by my GP following some episodes of anxiety and depression. Although initially I was unsure about the TRE practice, I found it very similar to yoga so it felt like quite a comfortable experience for me. After a few one-on-one sessions with Ans, I am now able to practise TRE at home and find it very useful for stress release. I look forward to finding out more about how TRE can benefit me long-term. Ans has a very calm and supportive presence, managing to listen to my needs and give me practical strategies and resources to manage my anxiety through TRE. Thank you, Ans.
Anonymous
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A little about my past … I have lost two family members within 17 months. My whole body felt tight all of the time. I guess I was carrying a lot of grief that resulted in me protecting my heart. I would stretch my back and shoulders which would help temporarily. I had done TRE with Ans a few years ago and enjoyed it then, that was before I had so much grief in my life. One Sunday I was feeling particularly uptight and thought what can I do to release some of the tension I was feeling. I decided to try TRE. It felt very nice while I was doing it and it wasn’t until a couple of days later I realised that my back and shoulders felt significantly more relaxed. I went to my yoga class a week later and could not believe what I could do. I felt finally I had let go of so much tension and my body was moving like I have not experienced before. Not only did my muscles feel much less tense but my whole body felt lighter and I felt I could do anything. I was also able to breathe a lot deeper, as previously my chest felt very tight. It was an incredible feeling.
Anonymous
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Following a consultation with a musculoskeletal specialist, TRE was suggested to me as something to try as a way to manage a set of symptoms that included chronic widespread pain, fatigue, anxiety and brain ‘fog’. I had no preconception about what TRE was or the impact that such a simple procedure would have. When I first came to Ans I had been self-managing my condition. Although the symptoms had improved with self-management, they had plateaued without further improvement for many months. From the very first session the effects have been dramatic.
My sleep has greatly improved. I feel more positive, less fatigued, less stiff and achy than before the sessions. I am feeling much better equipped emotionally to deal with anxiety and emotions arising from past trauma. My thinking feels clearer. The pain and stiffness, which previously had been so debilitating, has lessened to such a mild degree that I am able to engage in normal daily activities. I am now able to follow the TRE procedure myself and that is really helpful in establishing a new response pattern.
I feel lucky to have met Ans who has been very supportive throughout the process. I can recommend her as a caring professional who is a skilled teacher and a caring guide. My thanks to her.
Anonymous.
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I tried TRE out of interest to see whether it might help me with the long-term bodily effects of anxiety, tension, insomnia and trauma. I found Ans to be a very careful, gentle practitioner who took care to help me keep myself safe in sessions and checked in with me regularly. Overall TRE is a subtle, non-intrusive experience. It’s not rushed at all and I could slow down the experience – in fact Ans was particular about that. In the process of learning how to tremor, I’ve seen that I’m used to a higher level of agitation generally than I realise, and probably just try to push through it. TRE is a way to have a conversation with my body and listen. Afterwards I felt a physical peace. I feel like TRE can help me to build more trust in my body and to feel safe in it. I’m very grateful to Ans for her teaching TRE.
Anonymous.
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I have attended the first of three sessions of TRE with Ans. After the ‘pre’ tremoring exercises, I found myself to be very relaxed and in a good head-space. I have osteoarthritis in my elbow and once the tremoring began, a ‘warmth’ went straight to the area, it actually felt less painful. I’m looking forward to my follow-up sessions and to discover if tremoring is beneficial long-term A strange, but pleasant experience.
J.S.
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I was recommended to try TRE by my doctor to see if it helped with my migraines and anxiety/stress. I had never heard of this so I was intrigued. Also it is medication free so that’s a great bonus.
I went along and met a wonderful lady Ans, who is very passionate about TRE and health and well being. She carefully guided me through the whole process of TRE and i have to say that I was blown away, even after my first session. My first session I did have a migraine and by the end of the TRE session it had gone. I felt completely relaxed and my mind was empty and free.
What a wonderful experience and very easy to do. I cant stress enough how effective the TRE is on the physical, mental and emotional body. It is a tool that can be adapted into every lifestyle. I highly recommend Ans and TRE to all, as we all can benefit from TRE in this day with all added stresses in life.
Try it, you wont regret it!
Karen
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I have always been very active in sport; rugby, squash and water polo, but since age 46 had serious heart conditions. In July 2016 I had a burst Aorta and actually died, but was revived by surgeons. Through that effort and a long operation afterwards my back got severely strained. Taking a lot of medication, I was still in a lot of pain and stressed. In Jan. 2017 now aged 78 my GP suggested to try TRE with Ans.
At the first session, I couldn’t bend to take off my shoes and socks and had difficulty getting down and up from the floor. The next lesson I was able to take off my own shoes and put them on again and I had some periods without pain and slept better.
I. H. P.
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I have had severe back pain from horse riding falls and 4 childbirths.
Observing my husband doing TRE with Ans, I joined in and noticed my back got more comfortable with less pain doing regular practise of TRE at home.
M.C.P.
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We noticed our stress and agitation was greatly reduced doing TRE.
During our lessons Ans was very careful to show us exactly what to do and very patient to answer our many questions. We found the follow up TRE group classes with other students very helpful.
We will continue with TRE and are very grateful to Ans, that she has taught us how to tremor, because it has made a significant difference to our lives. And that doesn’t involve any more medication, just some easy effort on our part.
I.H.P. and M.C.P ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
My GP suggested I see Ans and try TRE to help relieve back pain and stress following a road accident.
I went into my first session expecting perhaps an improvement in the physical symptoms. That has indeed happened, but something much more significant occurred as well. I understood how calm and peaceful I can be and how the routine of stress and frustration has been affecting all aspects of my life. I understood that I can change it.
What appeals to me in TRE is the simplicity of the exercises, the control I have over the process and how profound the change has been since the very first session.
I feel very lucky to have met Ans. She is a wonderful and kind guide.
PL
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I just want to say thank you for teaching me TRE. I have been searching for a tool to help with my anxiety and insomnia for a long time. I meditate, do yoga and have tried many other things but have found TRE to be the deepest method of releasing stress. I feel very relaxed and calm, am sleeping more deeply than I have in years and the stress lines on my forehead are disappearing! Amazing!
Nicola
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After many, many months of suffering from light headedness and dizziness and with all the (expensive!) tests coming back normal, it became apparent that anxiety was the likely cause of the dizziness. My Doctor put me in-touch with Ans feeling that TRE could be of help. I was initially sceptical, but after the first session with Ans I was amazed. I felt lighter, my shoulder’s dropped and I felt my ability to cope had increased. Ans was lovely – she talked me through the exercises and checked how I was feeling at every step. I had another session with Ans and again, my anxiety was reduced (and subsequently the dizziness has significantly reduced). Ans is the first to say that it’s not a ‘fix-all’ treatment but more a tool that you can use when you feel you need it. I have just ‘tremored’ by myself at home following the guidelines that Ans gave me. I feel great!’
Emma
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I have just had my first pain free sleep in months – thanks to Ans and her TRE session.
My back woes started over 40 years ago when I was in the Police. Police work in that era was tough and macho. I had many back injuries, especially when I was a dog handler. In those times, back treatment consisted of taking anti-inflammatory drugs and put back into the same environment.
This year has been a tough, challenging year as I have taken an organisation I am passionate about through its greatest change since inception. After one of our most stressful weeks my mother died. Collecting veges from our green grocer I struggled to get the box into the car, twisting my back to get the heavy box into the car. This twisting led to me “popping” two of my discs in my lower back. The pain was excruciating, rippling through the nerves, spasms racking through every cell in my back.
Luckily, I have the best General Practitioner anyone could wish. He was good at giving me medication, but strong at wanting me to take control of my own health. At one stage I lost all feeling from the waist down – the disc is pinching the spinal cord. I lost bowel and bladder sensation – totally humiliating. I wanted to try everything instead of surgery.
My GP told me to go to Ans, as he suspected stress playing a major role in my inability to heal myself. I had a session with Ans who put together a programme, taking into account my damaged spine. It was a delight to go to bed that night without pain killer medication. Sleep was deep, relaxing and reinvigorating. This followed by a day almost pain free.
Ans is a brilliant listener, cares and a great teacher, I cannot recommend her highly enough.
Bruce Howat
Chief Executive
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When I had my first TRE session from Ans, I had no preconceptions as to what the result would be for me. I just thought it sounded interesting. After that first session, I began to notice significant changes in myself. I had been through some very traumatic life experiences in the fairly recent past, not to mention the ones further back, and I’d dealt with them the best I could. I know lots of ways.
After I’d completed the set of TRE exercises, I felt like the world was a different shape and colour. It seemed, somehow, that there was more light available to me. I was aware that something inside of me was altered in a significant and helpful way. I know I need to keep doing my TRE exercises.
I noted that I was definitely happier and getting more pleasure out of my life. So, I had another treatment.
Now, I realised that inside myself, not knowing, I had been on guard, ready to fight, and fighting, really all the time. This began to ease.
I thought, “I’m beginning to feel like the real me, the person I was meant to be.”
Now, I’ve had another session, and this time I’ve gradually felt a physical change–everything is easier to do. Playing the piano is easier. Singing is easier. Gardening is easier. And more. Amazing! This makes sense to me, too, because if deep within yourself you are tense, this takes energy, and affects how your body works. Yay! I’m definitely going to keep on. Thanks, Ans!
Pam
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I have found TRE to be a great tool to have in my “toolbox”. I use it regularly about 2-3 times a week, it is really handy for stressful situations.
I often do some exercises just before a job interview to get centred or after a stressful encounter. The bigger the stress, the bigger the difference it makes. Sometimes I use it instead of a sleeping pill to get back to sleep.
I highly recommend it to anyone.
Lucas Campbell
YOGA and TRE with Ans 