What Are Trauma Release Exercises? 12 Exercises to Let Go of Stored Trauma

Trauma release exercises are a category of body-based practices designed to help the nervous system discharge stored stress and incomplete stress responses. They range from structured clinical protocols like TRE (Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercises), developed by Dr. David Berceli, to somatic movement practices, breathwork, and grounding techniques used in trauma-informed therapy. What they share is a common premise: the body stores what the mind cannot fully process, and movement, breath, and physical awareness can help complete what stress and trauma left unfinished.

This post covers twelve trauma release exercises drawn from somatic therapy, TRE, and nervous system regulation practices. Some can be used independently. Others are most effective within a clinical context. Each description includes guidance on how to use it safely and what to watch for.

In case you are new here, I am Chelsey Reese, a relational therapist supporting women of color through trauma healing and nervous system recovery. At Power Through Process, trauma release work is part of a broader somatic approach to healing. You can learn more through somatic therapy services.

What are trauma release exercises and how do they work?

Peter Levine's research on somatic experiencing established that mammals in the wild complete their stress responses through physical discharge, shaking, movement, and breath, before returning to a regulated baseline. Humans, particularly those living in environments that require ongoing suppression of fear, grief, or anger, frequently interrupt this completion process. The incomplete stress response remains in the nervous system as a stored charge that continues to affect physiology, emotional regulation, and behavior long after the original event.

Trauma release exercises work by creating conditions in which the body can return to and complete those interrupted responses. They engage the autonomic nervous system directly, through movement, breath, physical sensation, and grounding, rather than approaching stored trauma through verbal processing alone. The exercises below draw from TRE, somatic experiencing, polyvagal-informed practice, and trauma-informed yoga.

Are trauma release exercises evidence based?

This is one of the most common questions in the SERP for this topic and worth addressing directly. TRE, the most widely researched trauma release exercise protocol, has a growing evidence base. Studies document reductions in PTSD symptoms, decreased physiological stress markers, and improvements in sleep and emotional regulation among participants.

Somatic approaches more broadly, including the exercises described in this post, are increasingly recognized by mainstream institutions. Harvard Health, the VA, and Psychology Today all publish material supporting body-based trauma interventions. The evidence base continues to grow, and while somatic trauma release is not a replacement for clinical care in complex cases, it is a legitimate and clinically supported category of practice.

12 trauma release exercises to let go of stored trauma

1. Therapeutic tremoring (TRE)

TRE was developed by Dr. David Berceli and involves a sequence of physical exercises designed to fatigue the psoas and leg muscles, triggering the body's natural tremor response. The tremoring is not manufactured. It arises spontaneously when the muscles reach a particular threshold of fatigue and the nervous system begins to discharge stored tension through involuntary shaking.

The tremors may feel unusual the first time. They are a physiological response, not a symptom of distress. Sessions typically last 15 to 30 minutes. For women new to TRE, beginning with a certified TRE provider rather than a self-guided video is recommended, particularly if there is a significant trauma history.

2. Physiological sigh

The physiological sigh is a double inhale through the nose followed by a long, slow exhale through the mouth. It is one of the fastest known methods for reducing acute physiological stress. For moments of acute activation, anxiety spikes, or the onset of a freeze response, one to three physiological sighs can shift the nervous system state within seconds.

3. Pendulation

Pendulation is a somatic experiencing technique developed by Peter Levine. It involves alternating attention between an area of the body that feels activated or uncomfortable and an area that feels neutral, calm, or at ease. The movement of attention between these two poles helps the nervous system build tolerance for difficult sensations without becoming overwhelmed by them.

To practice: identify a location in your body where you feel tension, discomfort, or a sense of holding. Then identify a location that feels neutral or comfortable, your hands, your feet, or the weight of your body against the surface beneath you. Move your attention slowly between the two, spending equal time with each. Repeat for three to five minutes.

4. Grounded shaking

Grounded shaking is a self-directed movement practice that mimics the body's natural tremor response without the muscle fatigue sequence used in TRE. Stand with feet hip-width apart and begin to gently bounce the knees, allowing the movement to travel up through the hips, belly, and shoulders. Let the arms hang loosely and shake with the movement rather than directing it. Practice for two to five minutes, then stand still and notice what has shifted in your body.

This practice is particularly useful for releasing held tension after prolonged sitting, high-stress situations, or moments of emotional suppression. It is accessible, requires no equipment, and can be adapted for seated practice if needed.

5. Extended exhale breathing

Extended exhale breathing involves inhaling for a count of four and exhaling for a count of six to eight. The extended exhale activates the vagus nerve and the parasympathetic nervous system, shifting the body out of sympathetic activation. Practiced for five to ten minutes, extended exhale breathing can reduce heart rate, lower cortisol, and create a more regulated nervous system state that supports deeper trauma release work.

This is one of the safer practices for independent use. If you notice that attention to breath increases anxiety rather than decreasing it, shift to grounding through physical contact points instead.

6. Somatic shaking with containment

Somatic shaking with containment adds a boundary to grounded shaking practice. Before beginning, cross your arms over your chest in a self-hold position, pressing your palms firmly against your upper arms. Take three grounding breaths. Then release the arms and allow the shaking to begin. The self-hold at the start creates a sense of physical containment that can make the shaking feel safer for women who experience the loss of physical control as activating.

7. Tension release through progressive muscle relaxation

Progressive muscle relaxation (PMR) involves systematically tensing and releasing muscle groups throughout the body, beginning at the feet and moving upward. The deliberate tension followed by release creates a contrast that helps the nervous system register the difference between held and released states. For women who have been holding tension chronically, this contrast can be difficult to perceive at first. With practice, the ability to distinguish between held and released muscle tone increases, which supports broader body awareness and trauma release work.

PMR is well-researched, widely used in clinical settings, and appropriate for most people to practice independently. Sessions typically last 15 to 20 minutes.

8. Hip circles and pelvic movement

The hips and pelvis are primary storage sites for trauma, particularly for women who have experienced sexual trauma, birth trauma, or chronic pelvic tension from sustained stress. Gentle, circular hip movement helps release held tension in the psoas, iliacus, and surrounding musculature. Stand with feet hip-width apart and draw slow, large circles with the hips, moving in both directions. Keep the movement gentle and unhurried. If strong emotion arises, slow the movement further and return to grounding before continuing.

This practice is most safely introduced within a clinical context for women with significant pelvic trauma histories. For general stress and tension release, it can be practiced independently.

9. Vocalization and toning

The vagus nerve runs through the throat and larynx. Sustained vocalization, humming, toning, or slow exhales with an audible sound, activates the vagus nerve and supports parasympathetic regulation. Research on vagal nerve stimulation supports the use of vocalization as a tool for nervous system regulation. For women who have learned to keep silent, to swallow emotions and hold their voice in check, vocalization practices also carry a relational and somatic dimension that extends beyond physiology.

Begin with a simple hum on the exhale, sustained for the full length of the breath. Notice the vibration in your chest and throat. Practice for three to five minutes. Over time, you can extend this into toning specific vowel sounds or simply allowing whatever sound wants to emerge on the exhale.

10. Cold water exposure

Brief cold water exposure, ending a shower with 30 to 60 seconds of cold water, activates the sympathetic nervous system briefly and then triggers a significant parasympathetic rebound as the body warms. Research documents increases in norepinephrine, improvements in mood, and reductions in inflammation following cold water exposure. For trauma release purposes, the value lies in the controlled, voluntary activation of the stress response followed by its natural resolution, which trains the nervous system in completing stress cycles.

Begin with cool rather than cold water and increase gradually. Cold water exposure is not appropriate for people with certain cardiovascular conditions. Consult a medical provider if you have any relevant health concerns.

11. Grounding through bilateral stimulation

Bilateral stimulation involves alternating sensory input between the left and right sides of the body. It is a foundational element of EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy, but it can also be used as a self-regulation tool outside of a clinical session. Simple forms include alternating tapping on the knees or thighs, slow walking with deliberate attention to the alternating sensation of each foot making contact with the ground, or holding two small objects and alternately squeezing them.

Bilateral stimulation supports the integration of traumatic material by engaging both hemispheres of the brain simultaneously. As a self-directed practice, it is most useful as a grounding and regulation tool rather than a processing tool.

12. Restorative yoga with body awareness

Restorative yoga uses supported postures held for extended periods, typically three to ten minutes per pose, to create conditions for deep nervous system release. The support of props, bolsters, blankets, and blocks, removes the effort of holding the body and allows the muscles to release passively over time. When combined with somatic body awareness, noticing sensations as they arise and shift during each posture, restorative yoga becomes a form of trauma release practice.

Trauma-informed restorative yoga differs from standard restorative yoga in the emphasis on choice, the explicit invitation to modify or exit any posture, and the attention to signs of dissociation or activation. For women new to this practice, a trauma-informed yoga class or clinician-guided session is a more supported entry point than independent practice.

How to use these exercises safely

Several of these exercises are appropriate for independent practice. Extended exhale breathing, physiological sighing, progressive muscle relaxation, grounded shaking, and bilateral tapping can all be used outside of a clinical setting by most people. They support nervous system regulation and body awareness without requiring clinical oversight for general use.

Others, including TRE, therapeutic tremoring, hip release work for trauma survivors, and any practice that consistently triggers strong emotional responses or dissociation, are most safely introduced within a clinical context. A trained somatic practitioner can track your nervous system responses, adjust the pace, and provide the relational containment that makes deeper release work safe and integrative rather than destabilizing.

If you notice that any of these practices consistently leave you feeling more activated, more dissociated, or more emotionally flooded after sessions, pause the independent practice and seek support from a trained clinician before continuing.

Ready to work with your body in a supported clinical context?

These twelve exercises are starting points. For women carrying significant trauma histories, generational stress, or complex nervous system patterns, the most durable healing happens when body-based self-practice is paired with clinical support.

I offer somatic therapy in Los Angeles, California for women of color working through trauma, nervous system dysregulation, and the patterns that come from years of survival mode. Book your consultation today.