Vocal Massage London — The UK's Only Specialist Voice Massage Clinic

Vocal massage (also known as voice massage) is a specialist treatment for singers, actors, broadcasters, teachers, and anyone who relies on their voice professionally. It releases tension in the muscles involved in voice production — including the larynx, breathing muscles, jaw, and tongue — to support a freer, more balanced voice. Timo Massage Therapy is the only clinic in the UK offering this technique, developed in Finland by Leena Koskinen and in use since the 1980s.

Who Vocal Massage Is For

If you use your voice for a living, it works harder than most people realise — and like any muscle group under repeated strain, it can build up tension you don't always notice until it affects performance. Vocal massage is particularly suited to:

• Singers and vocal coaches

• Actors and voice-over artists

• Broadcasters and presenters

• Teachers and lecturers

• Public speakers

• Anyone experiencing vocal strain, fatigue, or tightness

Conditions Vocal Massage Can Help With

Voice and breathing:

• May help ease tension-related voice difficulties, including symptoms associated with Muscle Tension Dysphonia, vocal fatigue and loss of vocal stamina

• Loss of vocal range

• May support muscle relaxation in cases of voice loss (Aphonia)

• Increasing the efficiency of breathing, both generally and in specific cases such as asthma

• Can complement speech and language therapy or voice coaching by supporting general muscle release and relaxation

Tension and discomfort:

• Releasing tension and pain in the jaw and tongue root

• May help ease tension in the throat muscles and diaphragm often associated with reflux-related discomfort

• May ease Globus Pharyngeus (the sensation of a lump in the throat)

• May help with Dysphagia (difficulty swallowing)

• General relaxation

How Vocal Massage Works

Vocal massage uses classical massage technique, applied specifically to the muscle groups that support voice production — not just the throat, but the wider system that makes voice possible.

A session typically works through:

• The breathing system — releasing the chest, diaphragm, and rib cage to support fuller, freer breath, which underpins good voice production

• The larynx — the voice box itself, where pitch and volume are controlled; the surrounding muscles are massaged carefully to release built-up tension

• The jaw and tongue — often overlooked, but closely linked to how freely the voice can move

• The neck, shoulders, and upper back — where postural tension frequently accumulates and restricts breath and vocal ease

Sessions may also include breathing exercises and stretching alongside the massage itself, since releasing physical tension is only part of restoring balanced, easy voice production.

One session lasts 60 minutes and usually 1 - 5 sessions are needed. However, in some cases of very established voice and breathing problems or exhaustion, more sessions are needed.Voice Massage is performed only by trained Voice Massage Therapists. It is not speech therapy or an alternative therapy nor is it invasive. No equipment or heat treatment is used.

Why This Treatment Is Different

Vocal massage was developed in Finland by massage therapist Leena Koskinen, working alongside medical and voice specialists, and has been refined since the 1980s. Timo Dahlstedt trained directly with Koskinen in Finland and remains the only therapist qualified in this technique in the UK.

Timo brings over 30 years' experience as a registered sports masseur, including three years as full-time masseur for The Royal Ballet Company, touring the UK, Europe, Japan, and China. That background in treating professional performers — where the body (and voice) is central to someone's livelihood — carries directly into how he approaches vocal massage.

What Clients Say

Professional singers and voice users who've had the treatment describe real, specific results — voices feeling freer, tension in the larynx and jaw releasing, and noticeable improvement after just a handful of sessions.

Timo has been a life saver for me during long runs of eight shows a week, both during La Cage Aux Folles and Inadmissable Evidence at the Donmar and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at the Drury Lane. He is the only person I have found who truly understands that the voice is a muscle and needs working on like any other part of the body. His massage is expert, recuperative and preventative. I certainly always came out with a few extra notes at the bottom of my range! I'd recommend him to any artist who has needs their voice in top shape for every show.

Douglas Hodge
Winner of Olivier and Tony Award

[See full testimonials →]

Book Vocal Massage in Covent Garden

Timo Massage Therapy is based at Pineapple Dance Studios, two minutes from Covent Garden tube station, with appointments available Monday to Friday.