Zen Shiatsu · Established practice
A considered, hands-on approach to rest and balance.
Helen Goldward is a London-based Shiatsu practitioner and Fellow of the Shiatsu Society, with more than thirty years of professional clinical practice.
About
Three decades of quiet, attentive practice.
Helen Goldward has dedicated over thirty years to professional Shiatsu, working primarily across London and the surrounding regions.
Her work draws on the traditional Japanese art of Shiatsu and the principles of Zen Shiatsu — a calm, structured form of bodywork that uses comfortable pressure, supported leaning techniques and gentle joint rotations along the body's meridian pathways.
She approaches each session as an unhurried conversation with the body, making space for the client to settle, soften and rest. Many people come to Shiatsu simply to step away from a busy week and give the nervous system room to quieten.
Credentials
- Professional registration Registered with the Shiatsu Society (UK) since October 1991
- Fellowship Fellow of the Shiatsu Society (FfSS)
- Experience 30+ years of professional clinical practice
- Location London and surrounding UK regions
Sessions
Sessions with Helen.
Shiatsu is received fully clothed, lying on a comfortable futon mat. Sessions are calm and led at your pace. Below are the ways you can work with Helen.
First Session
A longer first appointment. It begins with an unhurried consultation and health history, so Helen can understand how best to work with you, followed by your first hands-on treatment.
Shiatsu Session
A one-to-one Shiatsu treatment for returning clients — hands-on bodywork on the futon mat, tailored to how you are on the day.
A Course of Sessions
For those who would like to make rest and bodywork a regular part of life — a series of sessions at a rhythm that suits you, with the continuity of a familiar practitioner.
Concessionary rates are available in certain circumstances. If cost is a barrier to the support you need, please mention it when you get in touch — Helen will always try to help.
- Attire Treatments are performed on a futon mat and you remain fully clothed — loose, comfortable clothing is recommended.
- What clients notice Clients frequently report relief from muscle tension, improved posture and a deep sense of relaxation.
- A tailored session Each session begins with a consultation and body energy reading, so the treatment is shaped around your specific physical or emotional needs.
Questions
Common questions about Shiatsu.
A few things people often ask before a first session. If your question isn’t answered here, please get in touch — Helen is always happy to talk it through.
What is Shiatsu?
Shiatsu is a traditional form of Japanese bodywork. It uses comfortable pressure, supported leaning and gentle stretches and rotations, applied along the body’s meridian pathways. It is received fully clothed and stays calm and unhurried throughout.
What happens in a session?
Each session begins with a short consultation and a body energy reading, so the treatment can be shaped around how you are that day. The hands-on bodywork is then carried out on a comfortable futon mat, worked at a pace that suits you.
What should I wear?
Loose, comfortable clothing you can move and relax in — natural fibres such as cotton are ideal. You stay fully clothed for the whole session, so there is no need to undress.
How long is a session, and what does it cost?
It depends on the option you choose. A first session runs a little longer — around 75 minutes — as it includes a full consultation; regular sessions are around an hour. You will find each option, with its fee, in the Sessions section above.
How might I feel afterwards?
Most people feel calm and relaxed after a session. Some feel pleasantly tired, or find they sleep especially well that night. Responses vary from person to person, and Helen is glad to talk through whatever you notice.
Is Shiatsu suitable for me?
Shiatsu is gentle and suits most adults. If you are pregnant, recovering from injury or surgery, or living with a health condition, please mention it when you book so the session can be adapted — and check with your GP first if you are unsure. Shiatsu supports relaxation and general wellbeing; it is not a substitute for medical care.
How do I book a session?
Get in touch by phone or email, or use the enquiry form below. Helen will be glad to answer any questions and find a time that works for you.
“The body holds the patterns of a busy life. Shiatsu offers it the time and quiet to let some of them go.”
Helen Goldward
Workshops & community
Teaching, touch and the patience of craft.
Alongside one-to-one practice, Helen runs wellness workshops and contributes to community arts in London.
Her workshops introduce attendees to the basics of acupressure — safely locating key points and tracing the major meridian lines — as a gentle, practical skill to share at home.
She also has a long-standing affinity for mosaic making, contributing to grassroots community arts programmes. The slow, tactile work of piecing together glass and tile mirrors the patience and hand-eye attention at the heart of her bodywork.
Contact
Enquire about a session.
Helen welcomes enquiries from new and returning clients. Please get in touch to ask a question or arrange a session.
- helen@helengoldward.co.uk
- Telephone
- 07887 922546
- Practice location
- London — the exact address is confirmed when you book
- Professional verification
- Shiatsu Society (UK) register
Send a message
Privacy
How your information is handled.
Helen Goldward is the data controller for this website.
- What is collected. If you use the enquiry form, the name, email address and message you type. If you email or telephone directly, whatever you choose to tell Helen. Nothing else is collected — this site sets no cookies and uses no analytics or tracking.
- Why. Solely to reply to your enquiry and, if you become a client, to arrange and deliver your sessions.
- Who sees it. Only Helen. Enquiries are delivered by a form-handling service and by email; they are never sold, shared or used for marketing.
- How long it is kept. Enquiries that do not lead to a booking are deleted within 12 months. Client records are kept for as long as professional practice requires, then securely destroyed.
- Your rights. You may ask to see, correct or delete the information held about you at any time — email helen@helengoldward.co.uk. You may also complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office at ico.org.uk.