All of our Shiatsu teachers are registered UK Shiatsu Society practitioners and teachers, each bringing a wealth of experience and unique teaching style and work as an integrated team

Elaine FA West - FwSS, Dip Holistic Therapies, Reiki Master

Elaine is the Principal of the Bristol School of Shiatsu, where she combines her passion for teaching with many years of clinical practice. A graduate of the School herself, she has built a successful Shiatsu practice and remains committed to supporting the next generation of practitioners. Following her graduation, she assisted Keith Phillips on the School's Three-Year Professional Training and has continued to deepen her knowledge through numerous postgraduate courses.

Elaine served for six years as Treasurer and Board Director of the Shiatsu Society UK, playing an active role in the organisation's transformational work.

Her professional background spans a range of holistic therapies, including Reiki and auricular acupuncture, and includes extensive experience in the social care sector. She has worked in homelessness services, drug and alcohol treatment, and youth work, before spending seven years within primary and secondary mental health services. Most recently, she managed a primary care mental health team before dedicating her full attention to Shiatsu and her role as Principal of the Bristol School of Shiatsu.

During the last two decades, Elaine has pursued a path of personal growth and development, exploring and embracing a variety of different approaches in the field of Personal Transformation.

Elaine is the Principal and teacher at the Bristol School of Shiatsu.

Keith Phillips - BA(Hons), BAc, DS, FwSS(T), MF Phys

Keith, founded the Bristol School of Shiatsu in 1984 and was its Principal for thirty six Years. He began his exploration into healing and personal development while studying for his honours degree in Psychology. Keith’s search for a more holistic approach to healing led to the start of his Shiatsu studies in 1977. After graduating from the Kushi Institute with a Diploma in Shiatsu and Oriental Medicine in 1981, he set up in practice and began teaching Shiatsu. Keith also qualified as an acupuncturist in 1982 and  holds a Diploma in Acupuncture from the London School of Chinese Medicine. 

Keith studied with some of the world’s leading teachers, including Wataru Ohashi, Shizuko Yamamoto, Pauline Sasaki, Saul Goodman, and Michio Kushi. He served many years on the practitioner assessment panel of the Shiatsu Society, including two years as chairperson.

As well as teaching Shiatsu, Keith has presented numerous weekend and evening courses in personal growth and transformation since 1990. Keith’s teaching of intuitive Shiatsu is inspirational, and is enhanced by the wealth of personal experience gained during his long and thriving practice. Keith also runs Post-Graduate Courses throughout the year for qualified shiatsu practitioners

Keith Is our Elder teacher at the Bristol School of Shiatsu.

Paul McNicholls - MA, MrSS(T)

Paul is the Vice Principal of the Bristol School of Shiatsu. He is also a graduate of the school and prior to his Shiatsu training, he studied psychology at London Gate University. He later managed and taught at a holistic drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre in Bristol, where he developed his skills and experience in counselling and group therapy.

In 2002 he trained with the ManKind project; a rites of passage organisation, working with men of all ages to encourage authenticity, accountability and integrity in themselves, and to cultivate dignity and respect in and for the world. He is no longer an active member of MKP; however, he continues to support deeper and safer facilitation with some members of the wider MKP community.

Paul has an M.A. in group and individual Gestalt Psychotherapy and is registered with BACP.  He trained and worked with groups and individuals in Shadow Work between 2006 – 2017. He currently runs a busy Shiatsu and Psychotherapy practice in Bristol, alongside teaching at the school.

Paul’s teaching is focused and alive, inspiring self-confidence in students. He uses a strong relational approach in both his teaching and practice.

Paul is the Education lead at the Bristol School of Shiatsu.

Markus Heimpel - MrSS(T)

He brings his interest in and joy of expression through movement and dance to his teaching. Markus's style of teaching is spontaneous, caring and inspiring, and through this he aspires to help each student to develop to his/her full potential.

Markus is a Senior teacher at the Bristol School of Shiatsu.

Heather Logan - MrSS, BSc Hons

 Heather has always felt a strong connection with holistic approaches to health and wellbeing, as well as a deep love of nature and our intrinsic relationship with the world. After an extensive period travelling onboard a sailing vessel as part of a non-profit organisation focused on coral reef research, living in community and cultural studies in SE Asia and the Pacific, Heather returned to the UK with a desire to forge a new path in holistic healing. Encountering Shiatsu not long after settling in Bristol, Heather undertook the 3 year training with the Bristol School of Shiatsu qualifying in 2012. What followed was a profound wealth of learning which provided a landscape of felt sense, emotional acknowledgement and wisdom of the body experience - a new doorway through which the world of personal healing could be discovered and explored. 

Heather’s love of Shiatsu led her to continue studying several Post-graduate courses, assisting on the 3 year training at BSS and undertaking a Qigong Teacher Training course with Nicola Ley at the Shiatsu College. 

Heather has an interest in the mind-body relationship, transformational dialogue and energy healing. She has a busy Shiatsu practice in Bristol, together with teaching Qigong and Shiatsu.

Heather is a teacher at the Bristol School of Shiatsu

Sarah Hall -DS, MrSS(T)

Originally trained in dance and movement, Sarah found that Shiatsu was a natural progression from her exploration of movement, embodiment, energetic awareness and presence. Drawn to the wisdom of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Five Element theory, she discovered a therapeutic approach that resonated deeply with both her personal and professional journeys. She describes Shiatsu as both her spiritual practice and a lifelong path of self-enquiry.

Sarah runs a successful Shiatsu practice in Cardiff and teaches a Foundation Course affiliated with the Bristol School of Shiatsu. She has introduced Shiatsu into a wide range of settings, including workplaces, residential care homes, rehabilitation hospitals, community groups and festivals. She has also worked with charities and organisations to deliver Shiatsu treatments and wellbeing workshops. Through her work with Cardiff Council, she actively promotes the benefits of Shiatsu and is committed to making it accessible and inclusive for everyone.

Having received what she describes as a profoundly healing and life-changing training at the School, she feels privileged to now help guide and inspire the next generation of Shiatsu practitioners. She believes that her relationship with Shiatsu continues to deepen with each passing year and sees it as a lifelong journey of learning, growth and discovery.

Sarah is a teacher at the. Bristol School of Shiatsu.

Rosie Freeman - DS, MrSS, BA Hons, MSc

Rosie is a guest teacher at the Bristol School of Shiatsu, currently on sabbatical.