| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Sky |
Posted - 05/04/2009 : 22:50:30
Something to think about for those who found fault in Herbert Benson, because Benson's relaxation focus prevents people from addressing and working through the underlying emotions as Sarno advocates...
It's possible that these stress-related conditions can be cured not only with a mind -> body approach, but with a body -> mind approach.
David Perceli has an interesting book I read recently, "The Revolutionary Trauma Release Process - Transcend Your Toughest Times," which uses a purely physical approach to our trauma.
Berceli outlines how our bodies become like records of our past, carrying our emotional baggage physically. His "discovery" is that mammals naturally tremor after trauma, but socialized humans learn to repress their instinct to tremor (think of the last time you started to shake before asking someone out or giving a speech). Tremoring naturally shakes out our negative energy after a traumatizing experience.
Berceli has had tremendous success with PTSD patients using his tremors. They've found themselves suddenly remarkably calmer and more able to sleep at night, and less susceptible to all the TMS conditions we've experienced.
I've done the tremors myself, and I do feel extremely calm thereafter. I recommend his book. It reads quickly and you might really enjoy the tremors.
The exercises can be good, too, for people who are especially averse / incapable of talking about their difficult experiences. I read one review on amazon.com by a father whose two sons used Berceli's tremors after returning from military duty in Eastern Europe. They'd seen and maybe done horrifying things, and didn't want to spend years talking to a stranger psychologist about it. But they saw remarkable success with the tremors. Who knows? With better emotional health from the tremors, they might start to be more willing and able to speak about and consciously process these difficult emotions.
Ultimately, though, all I'm saying is that the healing process in regards to stress might not be purely mind -> body. Body -> mind might be just as effective. |
| 20 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| lara |
Posted - 03/27/2012 : 10:54:17
quote:
Originally posted by Wavy Soul
I do it spontaneously often during breathwork, which I do a lot.
I've also studied a similar practice with Chi Gong Teacher Max Christensen, who has all kinds of thrilling powers and is very loving and gets everyone into a spontaneous shaking mode and moves lots of energy. It's called Kunlun (google if interested - I spent a year going to his weekend things all over the country - more advanced than Berceli's, really)
And then there is Bradford Keeney in New Orleans, whom I would love to go see one of these days, weeks or months. He leads groups in a combo of this kind of stuff.
Love is the answer, whatever the question
Never mind,it is causing me more pain..=/
i will stick to the mind approach.
Lara |
| Wavy Soul |
Posted - 03/26/2012 : 00:44:34
I do it spontaneously often during breathwork, which I do a lot.
I've also studied a similar practice with Chi Gong Teacher Max Christensen, who has all kinds of thrilling powers and is very loving and gets everyone into a spontaneous shaking mode and moves lots of energy. It's called Kunlun (google if interested - I spent a year going to his weekend things all over the country - more advanced than Berceli's, really)
And then there is Bradford Keeney in New Orleans, whom I would love to go see one of these days, weeks or months. He leads groups in a combo of this kind of stuff.
Love is the answer, whatever the question |
| lara |
Posted - 03/25/2012 : 18:29:38
quote:
Originally posted by RageSootheRatio
I just wanted to update this thread...
I stopped doing the Berceli TRE exercises quite a long time ago ... they just kind of drifted off as I didn't seem to need them anymore... UNTIL lately.
My work situation had a dramatic change (a good change) recently, but I still found it highly stressful, and the hyperarousal symptoms came back in a very severe way. I had "forgotten" about the TRE and so it didn't even occur for me to do them until about 2-3 weeks into this bad downswing.
So I started doing them two days ago and I have had a *dramatic* improvement in my symptoms. Not 100% but definitely 75-90%. Life is getting OK again! It is definitely helping my sleep--when I wake up in the middle of the night I do them and am able to relax again.
I have been doing the exercises when I go to bed; when I wake up in the morning and at times during the day if I am feeling really stressed. It really does seem to discharge all that pent-up energy from deep inside, which more superficial "relaxation techniques" do not really help. (A little yoga had been helping, but maybe only 10-20% or so).
It has become more and more clear to me that the hyperarousal I experienced was not really fundamentally something that could be "solved" by just *thinking psychological* alone. Nor was "floating through it" a la Claire Weekes very helpful (although I love her material and it has been beneficial at times). In this latest flare-up of my symptoms, it was that the stress of my new work situation actually started causing a "new baseline" (for adrenalin production) and as Berceli puts it: "Everyday stressors begin to elicit an exaggerated reaction!" Since doing the TRE the last couple of days, I am definitely feeling MUCH better and I feel that "everyday stressors" are now just eliciting a more "normal" stress response, rather than the over-the-top hyperarousal/hypervigilance that was happening.
Anyway, just wanted to say that I highly recommend Berceli's work and as Sky so aptly pointed out in his very first post which started this thread in 2009, "It's possible that these stress-related conditions can be cured not only with a mind -> body approach, but with a body -> mind approach." Sky, if you're still reading posts here, THANKS AGAIN for bringing Berceli's work to my attention!!
Hi,
I started today,i suffer pelvic pain and low back ,neck pain also.
Is it normal to start tremoring from the very first exercise?
I mean i was shaking with every single one!
and my hands started sweatin like when you are nervous,also a profound desire of crying when i was doing the wall exercises.I wonder if anyone here who did this body exercises has experiencied something similiar? ok i felt relaxed after and no pain at all for about 30 minutes.
I quote you because you are the one who suffered from something similar as i have,except that i dont have the hyperarousal,but it involves the genitals as well.
Getting "cured" is my goal,no matter what i have to do,mind/body/soul approach if i have to.
Lara
|
| Wavy Soul |
Posted - 03/11/2012 : 21:49:11
I recently went to a guy who helps you do this stuff and also does a bit of "energy work" while you're doing it that feels helpful and soothing and makes the whole thing feel a bit less isolated.
I think it's an important part of healing. Berceli's book talks about how the human body has within it the means to its own unraveling of trauma, and as one who feels that my TMS is also major PTSD, this is very meaningful.
Love is the answer, whatever the question |
| RageSootheRatio |
Posted - 03/11/2012 : 09:55:04
I just wanted to update this thread...
I stopped doing the Berceli TRE exercises quite a long time ago ... they just kind of drifted off as I didn't seem to need them anymore... UNTIL lately.
My work situation had a dramatic change (a good change) recently, but I still found it highly stressful, and the hyperarousal symptoms came back in a very severe way. I had "forgotten" about the TRE and so it didn't even occur for me to do them until about 2-3 weeks into this bad downswing.
So I started doing them two days ago and I have had a *dramatic* improvement in my symptoms. Not 100% but definitely 75-90%. Life is getting OK again! It is definitely helping my sleep--when I wake up in the middle of the night I do them and am able to relax again.
I have been doing the exercises when I go to bed; when I wake up in the morning and at times during the day if I am feeling really stressed. It really does seem to discharge all that pent-up energy from deep inside, which more superficial "relaxation techniques" do not really help. (A little yoga had been helping, but maybe only 10-20% or so).
It has become more and more clear to me that the hyperarousal I experienced was not really fundamentally something that could be "solved" by just *thinking psychological* alone. Nor was "floating through it" a la Claire Weekes very helpful (although I love her material and it has been beneficial at times). In this latest flare-up of my symptoms, it was that the stress of my new work situation actually started causing a "new baseline" (for adrenalin production) and as Berceli puts it: "Everyday stressors begin to elicit an exaggerated reaction!" Since doing the TRE the last couple of days, I am definitely feeling MUCH better and I feel that "everyday stressors" are now just eliciting a more "normal" stress response, rather than the over-the-top hyperarousal/hypervigilance that was happening.
Anyway, just wanted to say that I highly recommend Berceli's work and as Sky so aptly pointed out in his very first post which started this thread in 2009, "It's possible that these stress-related conditions can be cured not only with a mind -> body approach, but with a body -> mind approach." Sky, if you're still reading posts here, THANKS AGAIN for bringing Berceli's work to my attention!! |
| nukedalush |
Posted - 08/24/2011 : 15:05:11
I am still doing TRE (every other day now). I have noticed that my hips and lower back are not nearly as stiff and my chronic tension in my stomach has lessened. It is a worthwhile technique. |
| nukedalush |
Posted - 07/10/2011 : 13:43:14
I am planning on doing TRE everyday for the month of July (15-20 min.) I'll let you know my results. Nukedalush. |
| RageSootheRatio |
Posted - 06/07/2010 : 14:43:14
I still do the TRE exercises from time to time .. kind of like a "maintenance program" now I guess. I think they were a fundamental part of my recovery from my severe hyperarousal symptoms. Can't say I sleep a lot better because of them (still have some issues to resolve before that happens, I suspect) but definitely would give them credit for the other significant improvements I have enjoyed. |
| LuvtoSew |
Posted - 06/05/2010 : 19:59:33
Just wondering how the tres exercises are going for everyone doing
them, it sure makes alot of sense.
I remember times like when stuff happens to me or someone,
would say " I can't stop shaking". kinda like that bear on the
you tube video.
|
| Judith Friedman |
Posted - 10/04/2009 : 08:55:52
Sky and everyone else, thanks so much for the posts. I just got my book and did the TRE's for the first time. I got all kinds of tremoring, hard and subtle, the very lst time. Afterward I am feeling like I got a big dose of valium. I'm not used to feeling this calm. However long it lasts, I'm loving it. Will keep up with the TRE's. Books says to do them every other day. Do you think it's OK to do every day? |
| Garth |
Posted - 09/29/2009 : 08:07:46
quote:
Originally posted by ZiB
I've been doing the TRE exercises for two weeks now and have found them to be very helpful in dealing with my TMS symptoms and it feels like some of my underlying emotional/physical issues are healing. I was just wondering if anyone else who is doing this is experiencing some of the same after effects. I find I sleep very deeply and dream very intensely after doing the TRE. The next day it feels like my brain chemistry has changed. I'm very spacey - this can last for a whole day. And my psoas muscle (on my bad side) is noticeably sore. This all feels like healing, but as I'm just working off a book and have no real guidance I feel a little out on a limb. Any thoughts?
Your body is going to respond to your unique energy. No two people are going to experience the same affects during or after the process. (This is in the DVD) If you have a sore muscle here or there.... there's a host of reasons why..... all them good. So ... no worries. The body is a magnificent creation ! |
| ZiB |
Posted - 09/28/2009 : 18:43:10
I've been doing the TRE exercises for two weeks now and have found them to be very helpful in dealing with my TMS symptoms and it feels like some of my underlying emotional/physical issues are healing. I was just wondering if anyone else who is doing this is experiencing some of the same after effects. I find I sleep very deeply and dream very intensely after doing the TRE. The next day it feels like my brain chemistry has changed. I'm very spacey - this can last for a whole day. And my psoas muscle (on my bad side) is noticeably sore. This all feels like healing, but as I'm just working off a book and have no real guidance I feel a little out on a limb. Any thoughts? |
| PRCalDude |
Posted - 08/17/2009 : 11:21:34
Van Winkle's redirecting self-therapy has helped me a bunch as well with my anxiety. It works WAAAY better than Weekes' IMO. |
| Paul |
Posted - 08/12/2009 : 22:21:03
Thank you for these updates, I'm glad you are posting! :) I need to get back to doing the TRE because after a few weeks, I felt better overall as well. It was very relaxing.
Keep us posted! |
| RageSootheRatio |
Posted - 08/10/2009 : 14:56:30
Another update: About 3 weeks since the last update, so a total of about 11 weeks of TRE now.
I would say that at this point, in general my hyperarousal problem is 80-95% better than it was when I first started... I know it is possible I might experience some downswings in the future, but I would definitely not count this previously vexing issue as among my major problems in life, this month. I even started sleeping better, finally!
Not completely sure whether my improvement is due to the TRE or not, but I would be inclined to give it the bulk of the credit.
Just for the record:
July 21: 36 minutes (by the end of the day I had done 36 minutes, compared to the 21 minutes I had posted in a previous update)
July 22: 38 minutes
July 23: 30 minutes
July 24: none
July 25: 19 minutes
July 26: 50 minutes
July 27: 3 minutes
July 28: 20 minutes
July 29, 30, 31: none
August 1: 43 minutes
August 2: 17 minutes
August 3: 35 minutes
August 4: 10 minutes
August 5: 17 minutes
August 6: none
August 7: 32 minutes
August 8: 10 minutes
August 9: none
I do the TRE when I feel like it, not trying to do it according to any set schedule. Also, the tremoring doesn't really seem to have changed that much; I still just do that last tremoring exercise and haven't gone back to doing the whole "set".
I still sometimes have some hyperarousal symptoms from time to time, but nothing like before, and am fairly confident things will just continue to improve with my use of the TRE. I do hope my sleep continues to improve and that the last vestiges of my hyperarousal symptoms also fade away over the weeks. Sure hope so, anyway !! It does make me feel more secure knowing that I have something I can turn to when I get really stressed though !! |
| RageSootheRatio |
Posted - 07/21/2009 : 20:26:39
Another update: A little more than 2 weeks since the last update, so a total of just over 8 weeks now of pretty consistent TRE.
I seem to be doing the TRE less ... (some days not at all, and some days just once a day) .... and is it coincidental (?!) but the hyperarousal seems to be less / lessening! It seems to be quite improved, actually. Hard to know whether it is the TRE (I am inclined to give it a lot of the credit I think) or something else (also currently doing The Solution program aka The Pathway aka Developmental Skills Training). Sometimes I have not done the TRE because my lower back has been sore, but it's not really a problem and I think of it more like my back is just "loosening" up ... so it feels like a kind of "loosening up" soreness if that makes any sense. My sleep issues haven't really improved, but I have definitely been having better times in general and some hyperarousal-FREE times, too!! :o)
I still just continue to do that last TRE exercise without ever having gone back to doing the whole series.
July 6: 40 minutes
July 7: 1 minute
July 8: 25 minutes
July 9: 12 minutes
July 10: 12 minutes
July 11: 46 minutes
July 12: 26 minutes
July 13: none
July 14: 18 minutes
July 15: none
July 16: 11 minutes
July 18: 6.5 minutes
July 19: 1 minute
July 20: none
July 21: 14 minutes
I wouldn't particularly say the tremoring itself has gotten less, yet.
I am very pleased still, that I have the TRE and will continue on !! Definitely out of all the things I've tried, I do think this has helped my hyperarousal symptoms the most. |
| RageSootheRatio |
Posted - 07/05/2009 : 22:08:48
Progress Update: About three weeks since the last update, so about 6 weeks in total of pretty consistent TRE.
Not sure there is much to update on ... the tremoring continues as before. I've not done the whole series of TRE exercises; I continue just to do the last exercise. Usually do the TRE once or twice a day. Have been keeping better track of the times (obviously some days a lot more than other days):
June 13: 110 minutes
June 14: 82 minutes
June 15: 51 minutes
June 16: 68 minutes
June 17: 20 minutes
June 18: 3 minutes only (lower back hurt)
June 19: 28 minutes
June 20: 19 minutes
June 22: 27 minutes
June 23: 10 minutes
June 24: 10 minutes
June 25: 30 minutes
June 26: 31 minutes
June 27: 20 minutes
June 28: 44 minutes
June 29: 10 minutes
June 30: 15 minutes
July 1 & 2: NONE
July 3: 22 minutes
July 4: 41 minutes
July 5: 20+ minutes? wasn't keeping track today! may have been 40 or more minutes... (a hugely stressful day)
Have a very high amount of current-day stress so maybe the TRE is just managing to keep things at a certain level. Still not sleeping any better than before. Some moments my hyperarousal can still be pretty bad, but maybe I am more able to tease out the current stressors which is creating it.
I think it has definitely helped and I'm glad I have this, but I wish it had helped MORE by this time! (especially with my sleep issues.) I will continue to carry on, though ... |
| Paul |
Posted - 06/16/2009 : 15:09:11
Oh yeah, for the first week or so, just in my pelvis. Then one night (I do them before bed for about 30 minutes)...I could feel it move into my low back and then my chest just starting shaking like crazy. Even my neck a bit. Now, it does this every time.
I would recommend doing it every other day for a few weeks and see what happens. And yes, I feel calmer afterward and relaxed..sort of like a after-a-massage feeling. |
| Sky |
Posted - 06/15/2009 : 19:52:55
Hey Paul,
you had them go into your chest?
Amazing. I only had them in my legs and pelvis, and it felt nice afterward. Do you feel more calmed afterward if you get the tremors into your chest as well?
I do them every few weeks or so, now.
---
A site I'm building: Pass it on for anyone who might benefit from a brief and clear introduction to Sarno!
themindbodyspot . wordpress . com |
| Paul |
Posted - 06/15/2009 : 08:27:55
Thanks for the update...keep it up! :)
I've also been doing the tremors for a few weeks. At first it was only in the pelvis, and it took a bit to get them going. Now they start easy, and the move throughout my whole body, esp. my chest. Sometimes it can be very violent. It is just crazy. I will also try and keep you posted as well. I'm going to do them daily or at least every other day for 15-30 minutes a session. |
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