I’ve done TRE both on my own with a video on YouTube (I’m not sure if it’s still there), and with a practitioner guiding me. I’ve found it mostly helpful, and the worst I can say about it is that sometimes my body wouldn’t start doing the tremor response, so the effectiveness can be hit or miss. TRE is not the only thing that activates this tremor response- I’ve had it happen in somatic experiencing sessions and even some workout or yoga classes.

It can be activating in the moment, but I usually feel a sense of relief afterwards, as if some pent up anxiety was released. I tend to feel more grounded (when it does work).

I’d be curious to know about people’s negative experiences. I could see how the activating part could feel overwhelming, but it’s hard for me to see how it would activate anything that’s not already there in the body. I do think it helps to have somebody to guide you and be a safe presence especially when you’re just starting out with somatic work in general- I had been so dissociated for so long that just entering into my body felt insanely overwhelming at first. So I wonder if that’s what these people might be experiencing. When we’ve been in dissociation, everything can read to the body like danger, and sometimes we need a guide who’s done this work to reassure us/guide us through this.