Meet The Team | Pilates Plus London  | Blackheath & Greenwich

Osteopathy, Pilates, Functional Medicine

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Galina Bell is a Registered Osteopath, Pilates teacher, and Functional Medicine Practitioner committed to helping people of all ages live pain-free and optimally healthy lives.

 

With over 25 years’ experience in movement and rehabilitation, Galina began her career as a comprehensive Pilates teacher before founding Pilates Plus London more than 20 years ago — one of the first London studios to integrate Osteopathy with Pilates-based rehabilitation for musculoskeletal injury.

 

She completed a five-year Osteopathy degree at the London School of Osteopathy, followed by over 15 years of postgraduate study with the Sutherland Cranial College. She has also undertaken extensive additional training in paediatric osteopathy, supporting babies and children from the earliest stages of life.

 

Recognising the growing prevalence of chronic and complex health conditions, Galina undertook a further five years of study with the Institute for Functional Medicine, qualifying in 2025.

 

Galina works with a diverse patient population, including babies, children, professional athletes, women navigating fertility and menopause, and individuals with complex systemic or long-standing musculoskeletal concerns. Her approach is highly personalised and root-cause focused, integrating structural and cranial osteopathy, rehabilitation, and functional medicine. In more complex cases, she incorporates advanced functional and genetic testing to optimise systemic health and create the internal conditions necessary for healing.

 

Galina provides truly integrated, life-stage-specific care tailored to each individual.

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Osteopathy

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Indera (“Indi”) is a graduate of the British School of Osteopathy, London. She subsequently completed a postgraduate diploma in Classical Osteopathy in Maidstone and continues her professional development through courses at the Sutherland Cranial College. She also holds a postgraduate diploma in Women’s Health Osteopathy from the Molinari Institute of Health.

 

Indi is a lecturer and clinical tutor at the London School of Osteopathy, where she contributes to the training and clinical supervision of osteopathic students.

 

Prior to retraining as an osteopath, Indi spent twenty years working within the National Health Service as a London-based Registered General Nurse (RGN), Midwife (RM), and Health Visitor (PGDip HV). During this time, she developed a strong and enduring commitment to the health and wellbeing of families, supporting individuals from pregnancy through to older adulthood.

 

As an osteopath, Indi holds a deep appreciation for the body’s inherent capacity for health and self-repair. Her approach is centred on supporting each individual’s return to optimal health, complemented by tailored follow-up advice to help maintain long-term wellbeing.

 

Indi is registered with most major private medical insurance providers.

Pilates

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Originally from Brazil, I hold a degree in Sports and Exercise (2007) and an advanced qualification (2009). I spent several years working as a gym instructor, sports coach, and swimming teacher, building a strong foundation in movement, biomechanics, and performance training.

Seeking a more holistic and sustainable approach to wellbeing, I trained with Polestar Pilates UK and qualified as a UK Polestar Comprehensive Instructor in June 2022 after 20 months of intensive study and practice.

Today, I help clients move better, feel stronger, and build confidence in their bodies. I believe that when the body functions well, the mind benefits too — because a healthy body supports a healthy mind.

Pilates

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In 2008 I stepped into Pilates Plus London and changed my life! My body, and my attitude to what it could achieve were transformed - my posture, strength and flexibility all improved. Inspired by Galina, I began pilates teacher training in 2011, qualifying in mat, reformer and comprehensive studio equipment. I taught mat and reformer classes at Pilates Plus London, before moving to online mat classes in 2020.

My Zoom mat class on Mondays at 7pm is a full body check in - strengthening, mobilising and stretching. I for one always feel amazing after it!

I qualified as a personal trainer in 2019 and champion using functional weight training alongside pilates to make our bodies more robust. I love embarking on long distance hiking, swimming, cycling and running challenges, and so far I’ve completed 6 Ironman triathlons.

Pilates

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Jane is Polestar trained, as are all instructors at Pilates Plus London , and has been teaching at the studio for nearly ten years.

 

Her classes are challenging, supportive, and fun, welcoming everyone from teenagers new to Pilates to runners, cyclists, gardeners, parents, and those managing shoulder or knee concerns. Clients can choose to focus on gentle rehabilitation or build greater strength, mobility, and suppleness.

 

Jane is passionate about helping both men and women feel confident that their bodies are strong enough for everyday life — whether that’s playing sport, gardening, lifting grandchildren, or simply moving without stiffness. She loves seeing clients connect with their bodies, discover inner strength, and leave class smiling.

Pilates

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Louise is a dedicated Pilates instructor with over 13 years of teaching experience, passionate about helping clients develop strength, mobility, and body awareness through mindful movement. With a strong emphasis on functional training, she creates supportive and engaging sessions tailored to all fitness levels—from complete beginners to advanced practitioners.

 

Certified in both Mat and Equipment Pilates, as well as a qualified Personal Trainer, Louise integrates classical Pilates principles with contemporary strength and mobility training. Her programs are designed to improve posture, prevent injury, and enhance overall wellbeing, enabling clients to move more efficiently and confidently in everyday life.

 

Known for her clear teaching style and encouraging approach, Louise empowers each client to build balance, control, and resilience—both in the studio and beyond.

 

As an endurance athlete, Louise brings firsthand experience of performance and recovery to her teaching. Her background includes marathon running, cycle touring, and triathlons, further enriching her understanding of strength, stamina, and sustainable movement.

Pilates

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I work with people at every stage of life who want to feel stronger, more comfortable in their bodies, and confident in how they move. Whether you are recovering from injury, adapting to physical changes, or building everyday resilience, sessions are carefully shaped around your body, your history, and your goals.

 

I am a fully trained Pilates teacher with additional certification and experience in spine care, pain and injury management, menopause transition, and pre- and post-natal movement. I also mentor developing teachers, which continually refines and deepens my own practice, keeping it thoughtful, precise, and evidence-informed.

 

Each session is safe, effective, and individually tailored. My aim is straightforward: to help you move with strength, ease, and enjoyment — both in the studio and in daily life.

Pilates

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Irena has been teaching Pilates to groups and individuals since 2017, primarily focusing on restorative and rehabilitative work. She trained with Polestar and Mama’s Pilates, and is a mentor for the Polestar UK teacher training courses. 

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For Irena, Pilates was initially a stress and back/knee pain buster while she worked long hours as a solicitor. As she delved deeper into the method, she became fascinated to discover how and why it was so beneficial for our physical and emotional well-being.

 

To her, Pilates is a method for weathering the storms of every stage in our life. It is extremely effective in preventing/minimising pain, and restoring and maintaining our physical and mental functions, so that we can meet whatever challenges life throws at us from a place of stability and inner wisdom.

Pilates

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Lesley has been practising Pilates for over fifteen years and was introduced to Pilates, as a pathway to maintain her body following Osteopathy rehabilitation for sports injuries sustained to her neck and shoulder, through playing sport.

 

After experiencing the benefits of attending a regular class and wanting to discover more about the fundamentals of Pilates she embarked on a Mat Pilates Training Course and qualified with Polestar Pilates as a Mat instructor in 2013.  She subsequently, went on to train in Studio Pilates with Polestar and qualified in 2016.  Lesley has also provided mentoring support for Polestar Pilates students.

 

Pilates has the power to change People's lives and Lesley's mission is to promote Pilates to all ages and abilities.  She particularly wants to encourage people to feel comfortable with being in the Pilates environment, especially if they are not used to regular exercise or participating in group classes.  Her classes are designed to encourage ease of movement in everyday life and to introduce the mental and physical benefits of Pilates to improve overall well being.

Pilates

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Austen's Pilates teaching orients to the detailed mechanics of movement of the body using a mindful approach, allowing a person's nervous system to settle into a deeper sense of relaxation, as he guides them through the variety of Pilates principled movements.

His classes are especially suitable for people who have been experiencing restriction of movement due to injury, or those who have an interest in Pilates but feel that advancing years may have prevented their participation.

Having previously worked in the IT industry for more than 30 years, Austen's Pilates journey began when he began experiencing lower back issues, and in search of relief pain relief, he read in a newspaper article of the benefits of this wonderful exercise technique. He participated in Pilates classes, then became inspired to deepen his knowledge and help others, by training to teach. Subsequently he qualified with Polestar Pilates as a Mat instructor in 2004 and a Studio (equipment) instructor in 2007. Always striving to develop, amongst other ongoing trainings, he has been a registered Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapist since 2015.