Managing the effects of stress is one of the biggest challenges facing the Corporate world so it was encouraging when Spier Holdings decided to try a different approach by offering TRE to their staff. The goal was to equip them with a skill that would enable them to better manage their stress at work and on a personal level.

In early 2015, a wave of xenophobic unrest and violence shook South African Cities and regions. Durban was affected as well and within a short time, thousands of residents from African countries (mostly from Zimbabwe and Malawi but also from Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo and others) who were living in and around Durban were driven from their homes, jobs or other residences with nowhere to go.

On 10 October, we began a 6 week TRE® group with 53 Ladies from release-for-peace-tre-3Benteheuwel, in the urban war-zone area of the Cape Flats near Cape Town. Desiree English is my co-trainer on our current TRE® Provider Training in Somerset West.

16 nompilos (community health workers), peer educators, home-based carers and community workers from the Hoedspruit, Phalaborwa and Tzaneen areas were trained as TRE Community facilitators. TRE (Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercises) is a method to help release tension stored in the body due to stress, anxiety, trauma.

In March 2016 Mr Buyile Bashe, head of Wellness in Parliament Cape Town, invited me to train a selection of Parliamentary staff as Accredited TRE® Providers. The Wellness Centre sees a lot of stress and tension in the workplace and are aware of the benefits of TRE®. This is due to ongoing awareness raising by the Parliamentarian Mr Lechesa Tsenoli, now a Level Three TRE® trainee being mentored by me.