Mike Mandl started his Shiatsu study at Tomas Nelissen, who was a direct student of Shizuto Masunaga. Nelissen and Masunaga worked very closely together in Japan, so Tomas' approach to Shiatsu was always very authentic and rooted in the principles of Zen-Shiatsu. Already during his basic training time Mike assisted Tomas, which was the beginning of an intense and vital cooperation for more than 20 years, till the point, where Mike took over the International Academy for Hara Shiatsu (Vienna) from Tomas, to work on the evolution of Nelissens' and Masunagas' legacy. Another big influence in the work of Mike is TCM, which he studied intensively with Claude Diolosa, including clinical praxis in China. With the 5th  European Shiatsu Congress, Mike organized on of the biggest Shiatsu events worldwide. Mike Mandl is one of the driving forces of Shiatsu in Europe.

Mike has been doing Shiatsu in a clinical environment for more than 20 years now. Through this close and ongoing cooperation with medical staff and hundreds of specific cases, Mike's Shiatsu has evolved. He developed a very clean, clear and effective approach, that can prove it's energetic background even in the most critical clinical setting. Diagnosis and communication skills can point out an easily understandable picture of the energetic situation to doctors and clients likewise. In combination with his intensive work as the main lecturer at the International Academy for Hara Shiatsu, Mike has built up an enormous professional and educational experience, which he shares all over Europe. Mike is a very inspiring and vital Shiatsu lecturer. His dedication and motivation for Shiatsu creates a lot of enthusiasm in his groups.