vânia rodrigues
Functional Medicine Health Coach and Mindfulness Teacher
Registered Nurse, Integrative Nursing for Cancer Survivorship and Integrative Pain Care
Vânia Rodrigues is a registered nurse, functional medicine certified health coach by FMCA and member of UKIHCA. She has completed a PG Diploma in Integrative Healthcare by NCIM and is also a certified mindfulness teacher by Mindfulness Now/UK College of Mindfulness.
Her expertise lies in guiding clients towards personalised health goals whilst providing support to build long-lasting healthy habits. Her passion is to empower women to make informed choices about their health and to take an active role in their well-being based on personalised and evidence-based integrative care. She will support you in adopting positive changes in your lifestyle to optimise your health.
As a nurse with over 10 years of experience in the NHS, Vânia brings a wealth of clinical experience and a deep commitment to her client’s care. She recognises the limitations of conventional care in chronic disease management, so truly believes that combining the best of conventional medicine with an evidence-based whole-person approach will bring positive health outcomes. Knowledge is key to empowerment, and she is committed to providing you with compassionate and excellent care.
KAROLINA ZAKRZEWSKA
Nutritionist & Nutritional Therapy Practitioner and Mindfulness Teacher
Integrative Cancer Care and Cancer Survivorship Teams
Karolina is a BANT-registered Nutritional Therapist and CNHC-registered practitioner with a clinical focus on supporting people diagnosed with breast, gynaecological and blood cancers.
She holds a BSc (Hons) in Nutritional Therapy from the University of West London and has undertaken further training in integrative and functional medicine. Karolina has completed the Applying Functional Medicine in Clinical Practice (AFMCP) programme with the Institute for Functional Medicine, as well as the Systems Approach to Cancer training created by Dr Nina Fuller-Shavel, an advanced training in integrative oncology nutrition.
Alongside her clinical work, Karolina has spent over 25 years living in India where she managed a yoga retreat centre and studied yoga, meditation and mindfulness. She has practised Ashtanga yoga for nearly three decades and continues to integrate principles of mindfulness and lifestyle medicine into her approach to health.
Karolina currently divides her time between her clinical practice and managing Purple Valley Yoga centres in Goa and Tenerife.
Who is the programme suitable for?
This 8-week mindfulness programme is for people going through cancer treatment, living with pain, fatigue, anxiety, or overwhelm, adjusting to life after cancer and seeking safe, practical, compassionate support. No mindfulness experience needed. You’re welcome exactly as you are.
Mindfulness in cancer support - what the guidelines say
Mindfulness-based programmes have been recommended in the SIO-ASCO guidelines for managing anxiety, depression and fatigue during and after active treatment for cancer.
How will the programme be delivered?
The programme is delivered by Karolina Zakrzewska, nutritional therapist and mindfulness teacher, with support from Vania Rodrigues, registered nurse, functional medicine certified health coach and mindfulness teacher.
The second cohort will begin on Monday 7th September and run until Monday 26th October.
The programme is delivered online via Zoom with weekly 2-hour live sessions, which will be on Monday evenings from 6:30-8:30pm. Between sessions, you’ll be supported with guided mindfulness practices and extra resources available on our private group platform, Circle, so you can continue your journey with confidence and consistency.
Important reminder about our group programmes
Group programmes are not the same as 1:1 personalised care but they do provide us with a great opportunity to learn much useful information together at a lower cost and to create a supportive community.
We actively foster psychological safety, and please note that anything shared within the group is considered confidential and should not be discussed with anyone not present in the session.
It is also important to remember that everyone’s journey is different, and what works for you may not work for everyone. Our individuality should be respected while giving everyone space for expressing their perspective and reflecting on how the information applies to them. Our goal is to treat everyone with kindness, compassion, courtesy and respect.
-
We will begin in Week 1 by introducing mindfulness and how it supports people living with cancer through body and breath awareness. Week 2 focuses on calming the nervous system and steadying the mind, Week 3 on responding rather than reacting to stress through mindful movement, and Week 4 on meeting difficult emotions with greater balance and acceptance. By the end of the first month, you will have built a strong foundation in mindfulness skills to support wellbeing during and beyond cancer.
-
IWe will build on the foundations created in the first month by focusing on rest, self-compassion, connection, and living well beyond cancer. In Week 5, we explore rest, fatigue, and nervous system balance through pacing and energy management; Week 6 focuses on developing self-compassion and emotional resilience; Week 7 explores connection, values, and meaning, with a gentle mini day of mindfulness at home; and Week 8 supports integration by bringing mindfulness into daily life and creating a realistic personal practice plan for the future. By the end of the programme, you will have strengthened your ability to live with uncertainty, rebuild trust in yourself, and support emotional and social wellbeing during survivorship and beyond.
How do I sign up and get started?
Enrolment is now open for the September 2026 intake. Please click the button below to sign up for the upcoming cohort. If you require further information, you can contact Diogo Madureira, Chief of Staff and Nurse Practitioner, at diogo@synthesisclinic.co.uk
What is the course fee?
The course fee is £250.
Please contact Diogo to discuss group programmes.
If you have any questions about our integrative oncology services or are unsure about the support you may need in your individual case, please contact our Integrative Cancer Care Nurse Practitioner, Diogo Madureira.