What Is Shaking Medicine? The Science Behind Releasing Stored Stress and Trauma
What is shaking medicine or therapeutic shaking?
Therapeutic shaking, also known as neurogenic tremoring, is a body-based technique that uses specific exercises to evoke natural muscle tremors, which are believed to help release chronic tension held in the body from stress or past trauma. Related approaches include Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercises (TRE), developed by Dr. David Berceli, and Somatic Experiencing, developed by Dr. Peter Levine — both grounded in the observation that the body can hold onto stress activation long after a stressful event has passed.
The core idea draws partly from observations that animals often visibly shake after a threat has passed. TRE applies a similar concept to humans by intentionally eliciting muscular tremors as a body-based approach to tension and stress.
Is there actual research behind this, or is it just a trend?
Yes — multiple peer-reviewed studies support therapeutic shaking's effects on stress and nervous system regulation, including a pilot study finding TRE-based shaking exercises reduced state anxiety in adults, and case research on trauma populations, including a documented case study on a former soldier with PTSD, showing improvements in physical and emotional wellbeing following TRE (Journal of Military and Veterans' Health). Separate TRE research has also documented increased heart rate variability, a key marker of nervous system regulation, in university students following the practice.
This doesn't mean shaking is a cure-all or a replacement for trauma therapy — the research base is still growing, and practitioners are clear that it works best as a complementary practice, not a stand-alone treatment for significant trauma.
Why does it help to shake instead of just talking through stress?
Talking through stress engages cognitive processes, while shaking and other somatic practices focus more directly on physical sensations and patterns of muscular tension associated with stress. Somatic Experiencing research describes this as bottom-up processing — working with physical sensation and movement rather than starting from cognitive or emotional narrative — which is a different pathway to release than conversation alone provides.
This is part of why people who feel like they've "already processed" something intellectually can still carry physical tension related to it. Body-based practices offer another way of working with those physical sensations, alongside cognitive or emotional approaches.
What actually happens during a shaking medicine session?
A guided shaking session typically involves a sequence of specific positions and gentle exercises designed to activate the body's natural tremor response in a controlled, supported setting, followed by rest to let the nervous system settle. Because the tremors can feel unfamiliar or emotional the first time, having an experienced guide — and a small group — matters. This is exactly why Palestra capped the September 19 session at 8 participants: it's not a performance or a fitness class, it's a guided, supported experience.
Who is this workshop for?
This workshop is a fit for anyone who feels like they're carrying stress in their body that talking, stretching, or willpower hasn't fully released — not just people with a specific trauma history. Many participants come simply because they recognize the "wired but tired" feeling and want a different tool for working with it.
How do I register?
"Shake It Out!" is $70, held Saturday, September 19, from 1:30–3:30 p.m., limited to 8 spots. Reserve yours on our workshops page before it fills.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is therapeutic shaking safe? Yes, for most people, when guided by an experienced facilitator in a controlled setting — this is why Palestra's session is intentionally small and led by an instructor trained in the practice.
Do I need any prior experience with somatic work to attend? No — the workshop is designed to be an accessible introduction, and no prior yoga, massage, or somatic-practice experience is required.
Will I definitely start shaking during the session? Not everyone experiences visible tremors the same way; the practice works with each person's individual nervous system response, and the facilitator adapts accordingly.
Is this the same as Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercises (TRE)? It draws on the same underlying tremor-based principles as TRE and Somatic Experiencing, though the specific format and facilitation style is unique to Jenn Shull's approach.
Why is the group limited to 8 people? Because shaking work can bring up unfamiliar physical or emotional sensations, a small group allows the facilitator to give real, individualized attention rather than running it like a large fitness class.
