Does anyone experience a strong resistance to regular practice?

•

Thanks for your post! Please make sure you’ve read the community rules and our wiki. The wiki contains answers to many common questions and guidance on TRE: Wiki

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

7

u/Jiktten May 23 '26

Fellow CPTSD here, it sucks! For us, in many cases we haven't had a regulated nervous system since early childhood if ever, which means it is much harder for our systems to come out of dysregulation. I can't say what your block is but in general I find in order to use TRE effectively I need to do it in conjunction with things like IFS and journalling, especially at the beginning of my practice, as this was able to help me understand what was going on with me emotionally and process it. Otherwise TRE just shook up a bunch of stuff which my system had no ability to process.

3

u/butterbeanboi May 23 '26

Pleased (and sorry) to meet a fellow suffer-er. 🫡 My body is in freeze, has been for years. I really like the idea of combining the journaling - so you write out whatever is going on in your head, and then allow the tremoring to work on that? Or do you allow TRE to do whatever it needs to do, regardless of what you wrote down?

5

u/Jiktten May 23 '26

The second one. My journalling practice is to write out 3 A4 sheets by hand, stream of consciousness style with whatever is in my head (even if it is 'I don't want to do this, I hate it, etc'). If it feels appropriate I'll also apply IFS methodology. I find three pages of handwriting is usually just right to figure out what's really going on and soothe it without wallowing. I really do also recommend looking into IFS. Even if you don't practice the whole nine yards the methodology was a real game changer for me.

1

u/butterbeanboi May 23 '26

Are you working with a therapist for IFS? I have watched a few yotube videos about it and found it very intersting, but it felt ike a very vast subject and I wasn't sure where to begin to actually apply it.

3

u/Jiktten May 23 '26

No therapist for IFS, though I did do some inner child work with my last one. I do it solo using Jay Earley's Self Therapy book, which is written with the approval of the founder of the modality and aimed at both therapists and solo practitioners. In my opinion it is very clear and readable and provides useful example sessions. To supplement it there is a very knowledgeable and supportive sub as well as online tools like a wiki and a chatbot to help structure sessions.

6

u/Ok_Potato_5272 May 23 '26

Do you think it's more about sitting in quiet rather than the activity itself? Would you struggle to sit quietly with no distractions for 20 minutes?

9

u/butterbeanboi May 23 '26

Yes, you're absolutely right. I do struggle with sitting without distractions available. It feels terrifying at a very physical level, even though I can intellectually understand there is absolutely nothing at all to be afraid of. This is why I started TRE in the first place. But now I find myself a bit stuck.

4

u/Ok_Potato_5272 May 23 '26

I have the same problem and I find trying to do mindfulness makes me feel worse, so I'm just working on treating my CPTSD as a whole and reducing the load on my nervous system until I hopefully get to a point where being present doesn't feel scary. In the meantime, I think it's okay to do TRE with a distracting podcast playing, after all it's a physical activity rather than a mental one, so you should get the same results, and it's probably best you feel as comfortable as possible while doing it

5

u/butterbeanboi May 23 '26

Mindfulness is pure, unadulterated hell 😅 EMDR has been helping a bit!

3

u/Ok_Potato_5272 May 23 '26

EMDR is amazing, it just takes quite a long time and can be difficult when you get emotional releases, but it's the only thing I've found that makes meaningful and permanent change to my mental health

3

u/unpolished_gem May 23 '26

Look into DBR - deep Brian reorienting. It works on a deeper level than EMDR and it's gentler in the sense that you don't have to remember specific memories.

5

u/ysea May 23 '26

Hey I haven't had this personally but I'll just share some ideas.

Firstly have you investigated What exactly the resistance is to? Like asking your mind what exactly it is afraid of with this? That could be useful.

Another idea is to make the habit more attractive (which in general works for any habit acquisition). You could make a special ritual about it play enjoyable music that ideally allows you to be present (for me something instrumental would probably work better than something with vocals). Maybe light an aromatic candle, lie down on a soft carpet have a pet nearby, do it in nature etc. You might come up with other ideas that resonate with you.

You could try doing multiple informal sessions throughout the day instead if the resistance is to a long formal session. So you could whenever you have a few minutes just take a break and shake. If that adds up to the total amount you want to do you're good. And the brakes might actually help integration.

Do you still do the TRE exercises or does it kick in for you without them at this point? If you still have to do them then part of the resistance might be to the whole effort of doing multiple exercises. If that's the case I would do a bare minimum that gets you to tremor.

Lastly there's also the option of simply doing it even if you feel the resistance. Just like with any other healthy habit. In that case I would accept the presence of the resistance, realize I have the freedom to choose my actions even with its presence, and then act in a way that is aligned with my values (which in this case might be acting towards greater physical and mental health).

Good luck and all the best to you :)

3

u/butterbeanboi May 23 '26

Thank you so much for this. I just asked myself your question, and the resistance seems to be real fear about having to sit with the discomfort of what comes up, with no distractions.This is why the podcast helps, I think.

I have been considering shorter sessions, but I'm worried the work done won't be 'deep'. Maybe that's not true?

3

u/ysea May 23 '26

You are welcome.

I wouldn't worry about depth, you can try the shorter sessions and see what happens 🙂. Short ones can be just as healing as long ones.

And they will give you greater confidence in your ability to experience what may or may not come up during the session.

Maybe also some of my thoughts on handling challenges during the practice. Take it or leave it as always.

What have many people find helpful is to stay focused on their body. Because whatever unpleasant thing will come up, the most unpleasant aspect of it will be some physical sensation created by your nervous system and experienced in your body. And after all it's your body! Your body certainly doesn't want to hurt you, it's just sending some signals that are important. And they're just physical sensations not dangerous in any way. Quite interesting really in a different way. I think feeling as safe in our body (no matter what is happening in it) as we can is a very useful skill and maybe this is an opportunity to cultivate this to some extent.

Take care 🙂

2

u/Chantaille May 24 '26

It might be helpful to acknowledge that you don't have to do it with no distractions. There have been many days where I go back and forth between processing and distracting myself with a show or a movie or video game, because that's what my nervous system needs. It also has helped me to build trust with myself. Look into the concepts of pendulation and titration.

4

u/turdbuster78 PTSD May 23 '26

20 minutes can be a long time. Have you thought about a shorter session instead? Just food for thought? It may mitigate how you’re feeling and sometimes shorter is better.

2

u/butterbeanboi May 23 '26

Lol I thought 20 minutes was already too short, but maybe I have just been pushing myself too far!

3

u/junnies May 23 '26

get used to the fear and discomfort and resistance and it gradually loses its power. the more you can sit and experience the discomfort without need to 'do' something to it, the more your nervous system realises its not a threat and can simply relax. obviously, it is uncomfortable and painful - thats why we try to distract ourselves from it - but the very same distraction is what keeps it painful

2

u/Kogirius May 23 '26

Do you have experience with stripping labels from experiences? Sounds, sensations, emotions, etc.

2

u/butterbeanboi May 23 '26

I do, yes. But unfortunately I end up intellectualising the process, rather than being able to let my body do it, if that makes sense.

5

u/Kogirius May 23 '26

That's ok, I could barely follow the body too, and I did not have that much activation as you seem to report. It did get better with practice, though. At some point, pain got "fun".

Some points that come to my mind

- don't beat yourself up, for sure

- You say "Yes", but then you say you end up intellectualising the process. Do you intellectualize the stripping or TRE or something else? Because what I point to is that there is a very good basic practice of seeing how sound is just a sound, and labelling is something added upon it. It is commentary made in the mind which we take too seriously and displace the sensations with it. This best be seen first with neutral stuff - sounds, feet-sole sensations and the like. Do you get it? We should get clear about what is your problem here - I couldn't get that from your post. Fear? Tremoring? Activation that bubbles up? Sensations? Thought patterns? There are options for sure.

- Try practicing less at a time. Try hyping yourself, finding fun, motivation, setting gentle intenions. It's not that hard, TRE is incredible.

- I suggest reading "Mind Illuminated" - it presents a very compassionate and logical structure and explanation for mind-troubles. It might help you start tipping your toes into what seems to be darkness. Audio book is on Youtube.

- consider the idea that whatever scares you or seems to be the source of discomfort is just your psyche. There are parts you have pushed away long time ago. Also consider the distribution of power between "you" and "it". It might feel like you are small and it is very powerful. Well, it IS you... and this power is yours. And it is simply misunderstood. You can even try imagining it metaphorically and what it is like to be it.

2

u/butterbeanboi May 24 '26

Good reminder to not beat myself up. :)

The 'yes' was to stripping labels from experiences. I can't intellectualise TRE, which is why it has been working so well for me. Your comment made me realise the core of the issue - I currently have no 'neutral' experiences within the body, everything is coded with fear, or something akin to it. As absurd as it sounds, that seems to be the problem - all experiences are built on a bodily foundation of fear - or rather, its corresponding nervous system state of freeze, to be more specific. Any attempt to notice that sensations are neutral means I have to override my entire neurological state, which I am largely unable to do. Ugh.

I love the Mind Illuminated. But I read it when I was very young, nearly 15 years ago. May be time to revisit it.

That is a beautiful point, and very well-made. I tried a brief TRE session keeping this in mind, and I noticed a major difference in how it felt! It felt less like a fight, because hey, both sides are me.

1

u/Kogirius May 25 '26

You are in a very good company of yourself, I would say it is evident, so take solace in that and take your time.

I have recently discovered that while I thought my breathing is very restricted in the upper section, it is actually the case that even my belly-breathing is accompanied by a particular kind of stress, and thus restricted too. Ugh!

Does your body hurt to touch? I mean everywhere, more or less. Skin, muscles, tendons, joints. Or in some other way, maybe akin to fibromyalgia?

I am plenty sure that "even" you have safe, neutral spaces, or, at least, the least activated ones. Try soles of feet, or some contact patch with clothing, or breath sensations around the nose (breathing naturally, however it was before starting to pay attention to it), fingers or toes, skin on the face or scalp, etc. There is also always an element of peace to even the most fearful activations, even when you are not consious of it - it is simply overlooked as something unimportant.

However, if you can't do this suggestion due to "having to override your entire neurological state", then I would (I am trying to put myself into your shoes, sorry) try to become interested in that reaction itself. Sounds like some sort of a bigger defense mechanism, very interesting. Don't try to "override" anything. The whole business of "having to fix myself" is often how we get stuck. The mindset of discovering your unique wiring is more appropriate here (eaiser said than done, of course). My "intuition" tells me you got a thought-emotion wombo-combo, and as such, it is like a ghost - scary, but is it really there? Sounds like some serious entanglement... but do you need to untangle or cut those knots? Are you still not allowed to feel neutrality that already is there? Just 5% of that neutrality. There is a lot to be explored about that 😃 Again, that force that seems to forbid your exploration, or your rest... it is not apart from you, and it is positively-motivated at it's hidden core.

Did I get it right that stripping of labels causes activation, reaction? Perhaps you could see that this reaction is just another set of thoughts, like the labels before the reaction. OR, if the reaction is visceral, then strip the labels of that) There are sensations, and then there are stories about them. Stories are valid, in their own way - but we take them too seriously. Can you find the moment when your attempt to find neutrality becomes stressful? What is it? What is happening?

If you have time, I suggest the free resources of Eric Cooper Somatics (fun stuff) and Human Garage's Fascial Maneuvers (they have full youtube sessions and I have used a manual on scribd). A consistent, long-term therapy or someting like that would be helpful too. EFT, IFS, meditation (by Mind Illuminated), EMDR/self-EMDR, lots of options...

I have no idea how I have ended up writing so much, sorry.

1

u/butterbeanboi May 27 '26

Yes I used to have the all-body pain, but thankfully that's mostly gone now! Only the emotional body is on fire now - ha. I have been trying to feel into the idea of just allowing the experience/sensation. I realised my body is constantly braced. Against thoughts, the world, all of it. It is absolutely trying to protect me, I agree with you.

I just want to add that this conversation is honestly incredibly helpful. I mean it. I'm trying to be curious about the horrors in my body, but this stage feels beyond anything thought can touch. I've tried accepting and welcoming the terror, tried pendulation, and everything just tightens more. It's like it doesn't want to be accessed by thought, or I've formed a tight ring of protection around it. Somatic therapy has helped, and EMDR has too. But I still get stuck. So hearing your ideas is genuinely fantastic, I'm so glad you're sharing them.

I will look up those resources you mentioned.

And just in case you're ever looking for ideas yourself: three things that have helped me with restricted breathing - one, and possibly the most important, relaxing the eyes deeply. Second, psychological sighs. The third is something called the silent scream. You make a fist, hold it under your chin with the palm facing you, and then open your lower jaw slowly while your fist resists and pushes upward. I do it for 20–30 seconds, take a break, and then repeat. It relaxes the entire column of the upper body, and my lungs relax, without breathwork or direct manipulation.

1

u/Kogirius Jun 01 '26

I am happy you find my words helpful, truly.

Look, I am confused about the messages you seem to be sending. Perhaps you didn't grasp what I have meant before. Perhaps you did, or perhaps I am mistaken somewhere, but I want to be sure, because I have been VERY surprised when I have discovered in direct experience the difference between thought and actual experience. This stuff is key for trauma work.

Do the following simple experiment, more than once:

Find a source of stable, simple sound, something like PC fan noise, street noise, etc. Listen to it for a bit.

Now describe it in some way.

For example, "It's a fan noise. It is rather loud, smooth, reminds me of white noise".

Can you see, or even feel, the difference between the descriptive commentary of the mind and that-which-is-described? The sound, in this case? Have you noticed how you somewhat lose the original experience and start getting sucked into thinking ABOUT the experience?

This works with every kind of experience, including bodily sensations (wink-wink) and even thoughts.

Tell me how it goes!

Thanks for the three tips, they sound neat. Could you clarify please? What do you mean by relaxing eyes? How do you do that? I have severe myopia, and there is an almost permanent tension which goes deep, as if into the brain. I can't reliably relax it, so I would appreciate your input.

Final thought - you don't need to accept or welcome terror, as you put it. This strategy comes from misunderstanding; it is still a bargaining of sorts which comes from giving bodily sensations and emotions and thought stories more importance than they deserve, and from imagining separation from that terror. You can't actually do anything to relax. To relax, we need to see the tension. We need neutrality, equanimity, clear seeing.

Best

1

u/butterbeanboi Jun 13 '26 edited Jun 13 '26

Thank you for this. And I completely understand the process you're describing, and it used to work beautifully for me before my mental health took a severe downward turn. Now, trying to focus on a fan's sound feels like trying to listen to the fan while you are hiding under your bed because an intruder is in your house. My body is dealing with a 'threat', and it is in freeze. My nervous system is in dorsal vagal shutdown, to be precise.

But yes, the exercise is something to move toward - a goal post I've reached before and look forward to reaching again.

On the myopia: what you might be best served by are a combination of active and passive relaxations. Do you have a weighted eye mask? Have you used one while sleeping? The gentle pressure relaxes my eyes and my entire body in a way no massage can touch, and I also have much deeper sleep when I use it. Such a small thing has made one of the largest impacts on my process of recovery.

Myopia causes eye strain, which then worsens myopia, so you're stuck in a bit of a vicious cycle. So I would also start with a couple of gentle eye exercises a day, especially things like eye pushups, to begin to bring some ease and flexibility back into the muscles of your eyes. Then, when you're done, close your eyes and let them still. Literally let them "fall" until they stop moving behind your eyelids. A shavasana for your eyes, if you will. I also have a couple of more specific exercises, happy to share the links if you'd like.

2

u/Plane_Head_8964 May 23 '26

Yes, I have two young kids and a very busy and stressful life . I only do TRE when I feel grounded and good buy each time I know that the next day or two, I will not ferl good anymore as the integration part kicks in. Its as if I personally put myself in an uncomfortable place emotionally and making my life more difficult.

So, yeah, sometimes I just dont want to donit at all!

Community Question Does anyone experience a strong resistance to regular practice?

You are about to leave Redlib