My introduction to psychiatry from physical medicine coincided with the initial appearance of PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) in 1980 in the psychiatric classification manual DSM-III.  Because I was serving in the military at the time (Royal Air Force) PTSD and trauma reactions became a prominent focus in our work.

The search for tools to treat PTSD initially depended on using established treatment methods. Many of the psychotropic medications used to treat anxiety states, depression, cognitive, and other psychological therapies were used in the new field.

PTSD became a prominent focus in research and provided a platform for the development of new treatment strategies, both pharmacological and psychological.

Over the intervening years, I have remained intensely interested in trauma work and have witnessed the most interesting development of body-focused psychological methods.

This is very relevant to trauma reactions that involve both mind and body.  Exposure to trauma excites survival energy which has a transient, necessary, and beneficial effect in short-term acute stress reactions.  However, if that survival energy becomes trapped in the mind and body then it creates ongoing strain.   This we recognize as hyperarousal, flashbacks, and other intrusive images of the trauma.  As well as a host of ways to avoid reminders we call avoidance.  These are the core features of PTSD, fuelled by trapped energy from the original impact of the trauma which has never been released.

The process learned in the Total Release Experience is a method of releasing that energy from the mind and the body and eliminating the symptoms of PTSD.  In my experience it is very effective…..and….we didn’t invent it…..we observed it in other species who use it in the natural world as a way of preventing the development of their PTSD.

‘It is rare in medicine to come across something that is potentially so cost-effective, that is safe, and that teaches the patient to be self-reliant.  It was also refreshing to see a local Pain Consultant recommending it as it ‘ fits very well with our bio-psycho-social model of pain management’.  If it shows in trials what Caroline has seen many times over in her clients who have fibromyalgia, PTSD, and anxiety for example, then I hope this will convince others to offer this as part of their treatment package.   As doctors, we desperately need something other than medication they may not need or counselling that is more expensive.  The future looks very exciting!’

Some reflections on the Release process shared here.

As a Consultant in General Adult and Liaison Psychiatry, I have worked with individuals both in the community and hospitals with a range of conditions for 23 years. Treatment approaches have become ever more varied.  But they essentially aim to address the biological, psychological, and social dimensions of the disorder.  My view is that they all complement and ‘dovetail’ together. The emergence of therapies that consider the body as the key to both the expression of mental disorder and also its route to healing have included for example ‘sensorimotor psychotherapy’.

I have attended two of Caroline’s workshops and engaged in my personal practice for the last 18 months. From my own reflection on this process, I see the modality of the programmes as re-activating pre-existing natural healing mechanisms that we have mostly suppressed.  They still exist in animals not held in captivity.

As such, it could be a valuable part of a multidisciplinary approach for a range of conditions. I would be fascinated to see future research on this release mechanism from a psychological and neurophysiological perspective.

‘The Total Release Experience® is an exciting treatment for releasing trauma energy trapped in the body.  Despite years of international research in the field of trauma, evidence shows that talking therapies alone are not enough to recover someone from a trauma event; however, despite the evidence talking therapies are the primary source of treatment used in the UK.  Without removing trauma energy that is trapped in the body, a person will not fully recover. They will continually talk about one’s trauma, has the ability to re-traumatise them and in some cases can make a person worse.’

The energy-releasing programme delivered by TRE UK®, once learned, has the ability to slowly process trauma safely at a pace a person can cope with.  It is a healthier, more direct way of releasing trauma that is held in the body.  TRE UK® has developed this technique to a high standard which is not seen anywhere else in the UK®.   Having worked with TRE UK® now for many years, I have seen the benefits of this treatment and the release and relief this can give to clients’ suffering the debilitating effects of this disorder.’

‘The Total Release Experience® program is a supportive comprehensive tool for those on a healing journey, whether it’s for physical, emotional, or psychological symptoms. As a helping professional and a regular participant in this process, I believe in it.

I’ve experienced regular, consistent relief as well as resolution of some long-term persistent challenges. I’d recommend this program to anyone who’s ready for the power of somatic process work. Thank you, TRE-UK!’

I had been having nightmares after experiencing trauma in 2000 when our home in Nigeria was attacked and torched with us inside. Cognitive therapy sessions had not been totally successful.

I have felt the difference after the Total Release Experience sessions and will definitely continue the programme. My awful nightmares are less and have changed in pattern. From a negative victim being pursued to a more positive creative nature-however bizarre some of them are. My sleep at night (and occasional afternoons) are more restful.

I recommend TRE UK® to my friends or anyone with stress or post-traumatic disorder.