About Valeria

I started my professional career over 30 years ago in my native Argentina. My path was shaped by the practice of Tai Chi and Qigong, an interest in Eastern philosophies, and a lifelong love of whole-food, plant-based cooking. I studied and practiced Shiatsu—a form of Japanese bodywork rooted in Chinese and East Asian medicine—before moving to the UK in 1995 to continue my education.

Growing up, I was also deeply influenced by the conversations I heard at home—often lively debates about health between my dad, a scientist, and my uncle, a doctor involved in the early days of psychoneuroimmunology (a groundbreaking medical field exploring the interconnection between thoughts, emotions, and the immune system). These were my Yin and Yang foundations, and through a lens of polarities and complements, I learned to see health and wellbeing as something complex, layered, and deeply personal.

While my specialism is fertility support, women’s health and pregnancy acupuncture and nutrition, I also provide individualised patient centered care for people of all ages and life cycle stages.

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“Diet, movement, massage, and meditation are foundational in Traditional Chinese Medicine and East Asian philosophies—and central to my acupuncture practice. I integrate these with the latest findings in nutritional research and transformative coaching processes to help patients make meaningful, lasting changes to their health.”

Natural fertility, assisted reproduction and IVF support

I have been a resident acupuncturist at London The Zita West fertility clinic (now Care Fertility Zita West) since 2010. I gained extensive clinical knowledge and experience while treating patients as part of a multidisciplinary, collaborative team of doctors, midwives and other complementary practitioners. Witnessing the significant impact that nutrition and lifestyle advice had on fertility patients, inspired me to pursue a Master’s degree in Human Nutrition. During my studies, I focused on the pre-conceptual period and, for my dissertation—for which I was awarded a distinction—I investigated the Vitamin D status and lifestyle characteristics of over 1,100 fertility patients. I am very interested in and up to date with current fertility research.

Pregnancy, labour preparation and postpartum

As a Shiatsu practitioner, I trained and specialised in supporting women through pregnancy, and later integrated this experience into my acupuncture treatments. I also attended seminars in biomechanics for birth, a range of methods and approaches for an easier birth. I draw on this diverse background to offer care for both labour preparation and postnatal recovery.

Long-term health and age-related conditions

My experience also includes working with people of diverse background, ages and stages of health. As a shiatsu practitioner I worked for over six years in a project dedicated to supporting women living with HIV and their children, and also for many years in Drug Advisory and Substance misuse services in London. Between 2009-2016 I developed and ran NHS acupuncture projects on behalf of a Hackney-based charity, targeted at people on low incomes and long-term health conditions, as well as an acupuncture clinic for Homerton Hospital Sickle Cell patients.

Education & Professional Memberships

    • Masters’ degree in Human Nutrition (St Marys’ University, Twickenham, Awarded Distinction)

    • Bachelor In Science (BSc Hons), Traditional Chinese Medicine Acupuncture (University of Westminster, London, Awarded First class in Clinical Practice)

    • Level 5 Diploma in Health and Wellbeing Coach (Health Coaches Academy)

    • Foundations of Health Coaching (Personalised Care Institute Accredited)

    • Teaching Certificate (City and Guilds, London, The Further and Adult Education Teachers Certificate)

    • Watsu Practitioner (Worldwide Aquatic Bodywork Association, California)

    • Licence in Shiatsu massage therapy (Zen School of Shiatsu, London, and assessments to the Register of Shiatsu Practitioners Shiatsu Society UK)

    • National swimming instructor (Department of Education, National School of Sports, Buenos Aires)

  • Member of the British Acupuncture Council (BAcC) (number 958708)

    Registered Associate Nutritionist (ANutr) (number 28355)

    Member of the UK and International Health Coaching Association. Please click here for their Scope of Practice

    I am fully insured to practice acupuncture, shiatsu, nutrition and health coaching

  • I have completed continuing education in acupuncture and adjunctive techniques with internationally respected teachers. Among others I studied: the Japanese system of modern day master Kiiko Matsumoto; Yi Jing Xiao Cheng Tu with Dr. Suzanne Robidoux; moxibustion with Junji Mizutani Sensei, Tetsuya Fukushima and Hideo Shinma (Master Fukayas’ son), Marian Fixler and Oran Kivity ; scalp acupuncture seminars with Dr. Suzanne Robidoux and Prof. Dr. Tianjun Wang; sports injuries and pain with Whitfield Reaves; Master Tung acupuncture system including Dr Wei Chieh Young masterclass; Shanghan Lun seminars with Dr. Arnaud Versluys, Will Maclean and Ivan Zavala; pregnancy, childbirth and gynecology seminars with Debra Betts and Sarah Budd and with Sabine Wilms. I am committed to ongoing professional development through postgraduate training in acupuncture and nutrition.

  • My shiatsu teaching experience in adult education centres during the 1990s’, and my later work with hydrotherapy rehabilitation physiotherapists in London, lead me to train in Watsu (water Shiatsu), at the Worldwide Aquatic Bodywork Association in California in 1999. I am also a qualified National Swimming coach in my native Argentina, and taught swimming for many years.