The felt experience
The world goes distant. You're there but not there. Conversations happen around you as if through glass. Your body feels like it belongs to someone else, or like it doesn't feel at all.
Dissociation is the nervous system's escape hatch. When the body can't physically leave a threatening situation, consciousness leaves instead. It's protective, but when it becomes a pattern, it cuts you off from your own life.
What the body is doing
Dissociation involves a dorsal vagal shutdown, the nervous system withdrawing from sensory engagement. The body may feel numb, distant or unreal. This is an extreme form of the freeze response, where even awareness is dampened as a form of protection.
What tends to help
Gentle, carefully paced body-based practices that rebuild the connection between awareness and physical sensation. This requires skilled facilitation, because too much too fast can trigger further dissociation.
Important: TRE for dissociation should only be practised in individual sessions with an experienced provider. It is not appropriate for self-practice without professional guidance. If you experience significant dissociation, please discuss this with your provider before beginning.
What TRE looks like for dissociation
The work begins with grounding: learning to feel the body safely. Tremoring is introduced gradually, and sessions are shorter and more carefully contained. The goal is not intensity but reconnection. Over time, TRE can help the nervous system learn that it's safe to be present.