Research
The Research Behind TRE
Peer-reviewed studies, clinical trials, and dissertations on Tension & Trauma Releasing Exercises — organized by topic and evidence level
Peer-reviewed studies, clinical trials, and dissertations on Tension & Trauma Releasing Exercises — organized by topic and evidence level
Research on TRE has grown steadily over the past two decades — from Dr. David Berceli's original doctoral work to randomized controlled trials published in peer-reviewed journals. This page gathers that research in one place: peer-reviewed studies, dissertations, conference presentations, and reports from research groups around the world.
It's organized for practical use. Key studies are summarized in plain language, and the complete library below is grouped by topic, with each entry labeled by its evidence level — from randomized controlled trials to case studies — so you can see at a glance what kind of support each finding carries. The evidence base is young and still growing: early results are encouraging, several larger trials are underway, and null findings are included alongside positive ones.
TRE is a body-based practice for self-regulation, and the research here reflects that framing — it is not presented as evidence that TRE treats or cures any condition. If you're a researcher interested in studying TRE, or a clinician with questions about any of these studies, we'd love to hear from you.
A plain-language guide to the most significant studies in the TRE literature.
The first randomized controlled trial of TRE for people with multiple sclerosis (28 participants, Danish MS Society). Unadjusted analyses found no significant group differences in fatigue, but analyses adjusted for baseline imbalance showed significant improvement in total fatigue score, and the TRE group reported significantly reduced spasticity and pain across the eight-week intervention. The authors call for larger confirmatory trials.
View on PubMedA nine-week TRE program for nine people with MS. Statistically significant improvements were reported in eight of nine self-reported day-to-day symptoms plus stress and sleep quality, and average fatigue scores fell by roughly half. The study was designed to identify outcome measures for the randomized trial that followed in 2025.
View on PubMedTen weeks of tremor-based practice with all 21 staff caregivers of an SOS Children's Village in Cape Town. Adherence to the practice protocol was 91%, and self-reported quality of life increased at a statistically significant level across all five measured domains.
View on PubMedA peer-reviewed study examining the effect of TRE on trauma symptoms among East African refugees — one of the first published investigations of TRE in resettled refugee communities, a population where accessible, non-verbal, body-based approaches are especially relevant.
View ArticleThe final report of a controlled clinical trial studying neurogenic tremors training for stress and posttraumatic stress — part of a research program that moved TRE from cultural practice toward controlled trial methodology (see also the 2018 ISTSS poster by Davis and colleagues).
Download ReportA Korean pilot study examining whether TRE practice reduces anxiety — part of a growing body of international research on TRE for everyday stress and anxiety outside of trauma-specific populations.
View AbstractA doctoral scoping review mapping the published research on TRE as a treatment technique — currently the most complete academic overview of the TRE evidence base, and a useful starting point for clinicians who want the whole picture in one document.
View in RepositoryDr. David Berceli's doctoral research at Arizona State University — the first formal academic evaluation of the exercises that became TRE, studying the stress-reduction effects of self-induced mild tremors.
Download PDFEvery study, presentation, and report we're aware of, grouped by the populations and questions they address.
Nissen, M. M. (2025). Trauma and Neuroplasticity — Including the Body in Psychotherapy with Chronically Diseased People. World Congress for Psychotherapy, Sigmund Freud University, Vienna.
Skovgaard, L., Trénel, P., Hanehøj, K., Lynning, M. (2025). Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercises for People with Multiple Sclerosis: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Advances in Mind-Body Medicine, 39(1), 4–12.
The first randomized controlled trial of TRE for people with multiple sclerosis (28 participants, Danish MS Society). Unadjusted analyses found no significant group differences in fatigue, but analyses adjusted for baseline imbalance showed significant improvement in total fatigue score, and the TRE group reported significantly reduced spasticity and pain across the eight-week intervention. The authors call for larger confirmatory trials.
Fiol, M. P., Marrodan, M., Benedicto, A., et al. (2025). Complementary Approach for Multiple Sclerosis Patients: Safety and Efficacy of Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercises. Journal of Yoga and Physiotherapy, 12(4).
Plajh, L. (2023). Effects of the TRE Technique on the Quality of Life of Individuals with Fibromyalgia Syndrome. Master's thesis, University of Oulu.
Hagberg, R. (2022). Experiences of the Use of TRE Exercises Among Adults Who Stutter: A Quasi-Experimental Intervention Study. Master's thesis, University of Oulu.
Fiol, M., Marrodan, M., Henriquez, S., et al. (2022). Body-Mind Therapy Intervention Improves Quality of Life in People with Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis: A Pivotal Study. Poster, ECTRIMS 2022, Amsterdam.
Mao, Z.-X. (2021). TCM and Psychological Intervention on Patients with Somatic Symptom Disorders of Heart-Kidney Disharmony and Its Effect Evaluation. Control study in progress (December 2021 – October 2023) comparing Western medicine, traditional Chinese medicine, and TRE.
Lynning, M., Svane, C., Westergaard, K., Bergien, S. O., Gunnersen, S. R., Skovgaard, L. (2021). Tension and trauma releasing exercises for people with multiple sclerosis — An exploratory pilot study. Journal of Traditional and Complementary Medicine, 11(5), 383–389.
A nine-week TRE program for nine people with MS. Statistically significant improvements were reported in eight of nine self-reported day-to-day symptoms plus stress and sleep quality, and average fatigue scores fell by roughly half. The study was designed to identify outcome measures for the randomized trial that followed in 2025.
Rosenberg, T. (2020). Testing the TRE Method Among People with Arthritis. External evaluation report, The Danish Arthritis Association (with support from TrygFonden).
Nissen, M. (2019). Using TRE with People with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). Symposium presentation, 7th Biennial ESTD Conference, Rome.
Stepišnik Perdih, T. (2019). TRE for Breast Cancer Survivors. Symposium presentation, 7th Biennial ESTD Conference, Rome.
Atterbury, E. M. (2019). Exploring Therapeutic Neurogenic Tremors with Exercise as a Treatment for Selective Motor and Non-Motor Parkinson’s Disease Symptoms. Doctoral dissertation, Stellenbosch University.
Lynning, M. (2019). Exploring Outcomes of Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercises (TRE) on People with Multiple Sclerosis — A Pilot Study. RIMS Conference, Ljubljana.
Lynning, M. (2019). Perceived Benefits of Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercises (TRE) Among People with Multiple Sclerosis — Qualitative Results from a Pilot Study. RIMS Conference, Ljubljana.
Harrison, E. G., Keating, J. L., Morgan, P. (2018). Novel Exercises for Restless Legs Syndrome: A Randomized, Controlled Trial. Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, 31(5), 783–794.
An exploratory randomized trial (18 participants) comparing six weeks of TRE with discussion-group controls for restless legs syndrome. Both groups improved significantly over time, with no significant differences between groups — a reminder that the TRE evidence base includes null findings and is still maturing.
Nissen, M. (2014). Working with TRE (Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercises) with People with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). 4th European Conference for Trauma, Dissociation and Attachment, Copenhagen.
Heath, R. (2022). Winning the War Within: Why Body-Based Trauma Recovery Is a Missing Link in Preventing Defence and Veteran Suicide. Submission to the Australian Royal Commission into Defence & Veteran Suicide.
Hruby, H., Beattie, J. (2021). Case Study: The Effects of TRE on Depression, Anxiety, and Stress in First Responders. Unpublished paper.
Heath, R., Beattie, J. (2019). Case Report of a Former Soldier Using TRE (Tension/Trauma Releasing Exercises) for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Self-Care. Journal of Military and Veterans' Health, 27(3).
A peer-reviewed case report documenting a former soldier's use of TRE as a self-care practice for posttraumatic stress symptoms.
Kent, M. (2018). Neurogenic Tremors Training (TRE) for Stress and PTSD: A Controlled Clinical Trial — Final Report. Controlled clinical trial, final report.
The final report of a controlled clinical trial studying neurogenic tremors training for stress and posttraumatic stress — part of a research program that moved TRE from cultural practice toward controlled trial methodology (see also the 2018 ISTSS poster by Davis and colleagues).
Davis, M., Hustead, M., Dietrich, B., Berceli, D., Kent, M. (2018). Neuromuscular Tremors as Tension and Trauma Releasing (TRE): From Cultural Practices to Controlled Clinical Trial. Poster abstract, International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, 34th Annual Meeting, Washington, DC.
Heath, R. (2018). Debriefing the Body: Supporting Health-Related Quality of Life of Volunteers & First Responders Through TRE Resilience Training. Submission 120 to the Australian Parliamentary Inquiry.
Edwards, L. (2015). The Potential Role of Trauma Releasing Exercises (TRE) in the Treatment of Trauma, PTSD and Its Comorbid Conditions Including Anxiety, Depression and Somatoform Disorders. Review paper.
Heath, R. (2013). The Use of Trauma Release Exercises for Resilience Training & Early Intervention in the Australian Defence Force. Submission to the Australian Parliamentary Inquiry.
U.S. Department of Defense Centers of Excellence for Psychological Health and Traumatic Brain Injury (2011). Mind-Body Skills for Regulating the Autonomic Nervous System. Department of Defense report.
A U.S. Department of Defense review of mind-body approaches for autonomic nervous system regulation in service members — useful context for where body-based methods sit within military health research.
Ren, X., et al. (2025). Efficacy of Tension & Trauma Releasing Exercises (TRE) on Psychological and Somatic Symptoms. Research summary, Beijing Haidian Mental Health Hospital.
Nissen, M. M. (2024). Understanding and Practicing the Ability for Self-Regulation Through Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercises. Workshop, 9th International Congress of the European Society for Trauma and Dissociation, Katowice, Poland.
Nissen, M. M. (2024). From Dysregulation to Self-Regulation Using Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercises. Symposium, 9th International Congress of the European Society for Trauma and Dissociation, Katowice, Poland.
Oh, J., Shin, C. S. (2021). A Pilot Study on the Anxiety Reduction Effect of Tension, Stress, and Trauma Releasing Exercises (TRE). Asia-Pacific Journal of Convergent Research Interchange, 7, 379–388.
A Korean pilot study examining whether TRE practice reduces anxiety — part of a growing body of international research on TRE for everyday stress and anxiety outside of trauma-specific populations.
Beattie, J., Berceli, D. (2021). Global Case Study: The Effects of TRE on Perceived Stress, Flourishing and Chronic Pain Self-Efficacy. Global case study report.
Torres de Almeida, J., Oberto Rodrigues, G. (2021). Tension Trauma Releasing Exercises (TRE) Regulates the Autonomic Nervous System, Increases Heart Rate Variability, and Improves Psychophysiological Stress in University Students. Research paper.
A physiological study measuring heart rate variability and psychophysiological stress markers in university students practicing TRE — one of the few TRE studies with objective autonomic measures rather than self-report alone.
Salmon, M. (2016). TRE Case Study: How Often Is Bipolar Misdiagnosed?. Case presentation, Somerset West, South Africa.
Berceli, D., Salmon, M., Bonifas, R., Ndefo, N. (2014). Effects of Self-induced Unclassified Therapeutic Tremors on Quality of Life Among Non-professional Caregivers: A Pilot Study. Global Advances in Health and Medicine, 3(5), 45–48.
Ten weeks of tremor-based practice with all 21 staff caregivers of an SOS Children's Village in Cape Town. Adherence to the practice protocol was 91%, and self-reported quality of life increased at a statistically significant level across all five measured domains.
McCann, T. (2011). An Evaluation of the Effects of a Training Program in Trauma Releasing Exercises on Quality of Life. Master's thesis, University of Cape Town.
Berceli, D., Holley, L. (2005). Evaluating the Effects of Stress Reduction Exercises. Unpublished manuscript, Arizona State University.
Amaral, M. A., Almeida, J. T., Flores, R., et al. (2020). Programa de Apoio Emocional e Redução de Estresse para Profissionais de Saúde Durante a Pandemia da COVID-19. First Virtual Congress of CONASEMS, Brazil.
Heath, R. (2018). A Trauma-Informed Model of Shakes & Tremors, the Failure to Progress, Post-Traumatic Birth Recovery & Midwifery Self-Care. Practice Matters, Australian Midwifery News (Summer ed.).
Herold, A., Nibel, H. (2017). TRE — Tension, Stress and Trauma Releasing Exercises: Evaluation eines ressourcenschonenden traumatherapeutischen Verfahrens. Evaluation report, Gladbeck, Germany.
Nibel, H., Herold, A. (2017). Körperorientiertes Coaching für ressourcenschonendes Auflösen chronischer Stressreaktionen. Erdinger Coaching-Kongress, Erding, Germany.
Talvinen, H. (2017). The Effects of TRE-Method on Stress Relief Among Psychiatric Healthcare Employees. Master's thesis.
Nibel, H. (2015). Shake It Up Baby! Trauma and Tension Releasing Exercises (TRE) as a New Promising Offering in Promoting Occupational Health. Gesellschaft für Arbeitswissenschaft Spring Convention, Karlsruhe, Germany.
Schweitzer, E., Bradt, K. M. (2015). Dem Malinowski-Blues Entgehen: Körperorientierte Entspannungsübungen zur Stressbewältigung Während der Feldforschung. Ethnoscripts, 17(1), 228–242.
Johnson, S. (2012). Interventions for Stress and Burnout of Secondary School Educators in High-Risk Schools. 30th International Congress of Psychology, Cape Town.
Nadulska, M. (2025). The Body as a Parent’s Resource: A Pilot Study on the Impact of TRE Practice in a School Environment. Pilot study report.
Zhao, Y., Xu, J., Zhang, J., et al. (2024). Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Mother-Child Intervention Model of Neurogenic Tremor as an Add-On to Treatment for Emotional Disorders in Adolescents. BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies, 24, 403.
A registered protocol for a large randomized controlled trial (140 mother-adolescent pairs, Beijing Huilongguan Hospital) testing an eight-week TRE group program added to standard care for adolescents with emotional disorders — one of the largest TRE trials yet designed.
Parker, J., Shook, B., Washington, D., English, B., Tatum, C. (2024). The effect of Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercises (TRE) on trauma symptoms in East African refugees. Psychology, 15(1).
A peer-reviewed study examining the effect of TRE on trauma symptoms among East African refugees — one of the first published investigations of TRE in resettled refugee communities, a population where accessible, non-verbal, body-based approaches are especially relevant.
Amaral, M. A., Andrade, E. A. R., Angnes, G. M., et al. (2018). Innovative Solutions for the Promotion of Adolescent Mental Health in Primary Care. Revista Adolescência e Saúde, 15(1), 66–72.
Herold, A. (2015). Preliminary Results of Several Small Sample Studies in Ukraine During TRE on Different Levels. Psychological Counseling and Psychotherapy, 2(1–2).
Heath, R. (2013). Evaluation of Trauma Release Exercises (TRE) Workshop for Bushfire Affected Communities. Evaluation report, funded by SWBZA Inc..
Macedo, D. (2013). Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercise: Application to Situations of Domestic Violence. Master's thesis, Universidade de Brasília.
Salmon, M. (2013). Pilot TRE Research Program with Chrysalis Academy Students: Interim Research Report 2. Interim research report, Cape Town, South Africa.
MyLife Organisation (2011). TRE Case Study: Stress in Youth. Case study, Cape Town, South Africa (2010–2011).
Williams-Hindle, H. (2022). ‘Embodiment’ in Autistic Cultural and Creative Leadership Praxis: An Exploration of Method and Insight. Clore Leadership / Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) Fellowship.
Thommessen, C. S., Fougner, M. (2020). Body Awareness in Acting — A Case Study of TRE as a Supporting Tool for Drama Students’ Personal and Professional Development. Journal of Theatre, Dance and Performance Training.
Törmi, K. (2019). Hidden Motion — Working with Deprived Young Adults in TRE and Dance Art. Symposium presentation, 7th Biennial ESTD Conference, Rome.
Stepišnik Perdih, T. (2018). TRE for Athletes. 5th International Scientific Conference of the Slovenian Gymnastics Federation, Ljubljana.
Berceli, D. (2025). Body Tremors: The Natural Restorative Mechanism of the Human Body. In Grassmann, H., Stupiggia, M., & Porges, S. W. (Eds.), Somatic-Oriented Therapies: Embodiment, Trauma, and Polyvagal Perspectives (pp. 161–168).
Dr. Berceli's chapter in a somatic-therapy volume co-edited by Dr. Stephen Porges (originator of Polyvagal Theory) — situating neurogenic tremor within the broader landscape of body-oriented and polyvagal-informed approaches.
Nissen, M. M. (2024). A Shaky Experience for Animals and Humans. KABS VIDEN National Conference on Drug and Alcohol Abuse, Denmark.
Roos, L. A. J. (2023). Trauma Releasing Exercises as a Treatment Technique: A Scoping Review. Doctoral dissertation, University of Pretoria.
A doctoral scoping review mapping the published research on TRE as a treatment technique — currently the most complete academic overview of the TRE evidence base, and a useful starting point for clinicians who want the whole picture in one document.
Nordstroem, J. (2021). Literature Synthesis on Neurogenic Tremor. Research paper, Saybrook University.
Heath, R. (2021). Tremors, Trauma, TRE and Re-Embodiment. In Guthrie, J., et al. (Eds.), The Art of Embodiment (pp. 37–50), Dance Therapy Association of Australasia Publications.
Winkler, S. (2018). Neurogenes Zittern als neuer Baustein in der Traumabehandlung? Praktische Erfahrungen und theoretische Erläuterungen. Psychotherapeutenjournal, 3, 244–250.
Berceli, D. (2010). Neurogenic Tremors: A Body-Oriented Treatment for Trauma in Large Populations. Trauma und Gewalt, 4(2), 148–156.
Berceli, D. (2009). Evaluating the Effects of Stress Reduction Exercises Employing Mild Tremors: A Pilot Study. Doctoral dissertation, Arizona State University.
Dr. David Berceli's doctoral research at Arizona State University — the first formal academic evaluation of the exercises that became TRE, studying the stress-reduction effects of self-induced mild tremors.
Berceli, D., Napoli, M. (2007). A Proposal for a Mindfulness-Based Trauma-Prevention Program for Social Work Professionals. Complementary Health Practice Review, 11(3), 1–13.
Know of a study we're missing? Tell us about it — we keep this library current.
Lynea is glad to talk through the evidence with clinicians, researchers, and anyone considering TRE training.
TRE is a body-based practice for self-regulation. It is not a substitute for professional medical or psychological care. TRE training workshops are educational in nature and do not constitute therapy or counseling.