I was raised by my loving parents and grand parents and along side my sister in a tiny village in Austria - about 3000 inhabitants back then. 
Even though I had a safe and fun childhood, I was often challenged by fear and as I grew into a young woman, I still had doubts about myself. To help overcome my anxieties and fear, my mother, a strong believer in complementary medicine dragged me to many different kinds of healers and homeopaths.

​We first heard about Shiatsu when I was a teenager. My neighbour’s son had died due to skin cancer and she got help to deal with her grief from a Shiatsu practitioner. As my neighbour knew about my struggle with myself and growing up, she recommended Shiatsu for me and I had my first Shiatsu session the following week.
I enjoyed it immensely and was looking forward to every Shiatsu session. It transformed me from a teenage girl struggling with life into a woman that is able to take on the challenges of life without being thrown too far of the path.

One thing my Shiatsu practitioner said to me that stuck with me was that I would be good at giving Shiatsu. Back then I thought that this was ridiculous and I was scared of trying it. Scared of what I would find out about myself if I would undertake a Shiatsu training course.

So I decided to go to University and study Geography. Simply because I was always interested in the physical world and nature, the environment and human interaction with it fascinated me. During the course of my studies I came across cartography, making maps and analysing satellite imagery which I specialised in and ended my studies with a Master of Science (MSc) degree from the University of Salzburg.
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I always had a mysterious longing to live in the UK. Having lived in London for a gap year between school and university I fell in love with the city. Therefore I decided to move back to London after finishing my Geography studies and see what life offers me in this beautiful city.

Almost a year of settling into the busy and exciting London life, I was ready to embark on my next adventure of training to be a Shiatsu practitioner. I enrolled to the Shiatsu College London to be taught the wonderful practice of Zen Shiatsu by Jane Lyons, Dinah Jones, Annie Cryar, Catherin Burnett, Debbie Colins and Matt Woods. 

​I qualified as a Shiatsu Practitioner in December 2017. In my 3 year Zen Shiatsu Training I have learned a vast amount about the human body, the use of Ki, Chinese medicine, the origins of Shiatsu, Meridians, Acupuncture points and more about myself. Having received Shiatsu for so many years I find that giving Shiatsu can be even better and it is such a joy to give Shiatsu. The success and change in receivers that one can achieve with Ki, mindfulness and intension is fascinating. 

Besides giving and experiencing Shiatsu I am also passionate about raising awareness about Shiatsu, what it is, how it works and how it helps to self heal. Therefore I am offering short Shiatsu introduction workshops to teach about Shiatsu in its truth. 

​Mental health has been close to my heart for a long time. I myself have experience what a big difference regular Shiatsu can make to a mind that is spinning. Therefore I am now also working to get Shiatsu known in the Mental Health society starting with introduction workshops and I gave Shiatsu on a volunteering basis at a Mental Health Charity. 

​Besides Shiatsu, Meditation, Trees and Environmental Preservation are passions that guide me through my life and help me on my path.

Daniela Voit MRSS | Shiatsu Practitioner | London-Kingston-Surbiton