Welcome

Christine Raffa, the creator and visionary behind Raffa Yoga & Urban Sweat Spa, has been practicing yoga for over 30 years. A lifelong athlete and avid runner since age 12, Christine’s dedication to fitness left her with tight quadriceps and lower back tension. She explored countless stretching programs to correct her muscular imbalances, but it wasn’t until she found yoga that she truly discovered balance—physically, professionally, and personally.

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"I am so blessed to have had the opportunity to study with an amazing group of yoga teachers and experience firsthand the healing power of yoga."

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Christine’s yoga journey began with Baron Baptiste of the Baptiste Power Yoga Institute in Boston and Cambridge, where she completed Levels One and Two of teacher training. Through this training, she realized that the fluidity of Vinyasa Yoga was deeply ingrained in her nervous system. She then went on to train with Beryl Bender Birch of Hard and Soft Ashtanga Yoga in New York, where she gained a deep appreciation for yoga’s lineage and a newfound respect for this ancient practice of self-expression through alignment, breath, patience, and strength.

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In 2006, Christine was chosen by Ana Forrest, founder of Forrest Yoga, as one of the Forrest Yoga Mentors in the "Mending the Hoop of the People" program. She is a certified Forrest Yoga instructor and has completed both the Foundational and Advanced Forrest Yoga Teacher Trainings. She also assists with Forrest Yoga trainings worldwide, an experience that profoundly transformed her approach to both teaching and life. Forrest Yoga helped Christine reconnect with the healing power of breath and tap into the intuitive wisdom of the self.

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Christine’s extensive yoga education includes training with Shiva Rea, Judith Lasater, and Tias Little. She is certified in AntiGravity Yoga through Christopher Harrison’s AntiGravity Yoga Inc., specializing in Aerial Yoga, Restorative AntiGravity Yoga, and Flying Fitness. She is also TRX-certified and has studied Hanna Somatics and neurosomatic training for trauma, launching Rhode Island’s first somatics program in 2016.

Since 2012, Christine has led her own Raffa Yoga Teacher Training Program, focusing on personal development and traditional Surya Namaskara, known as The Practice.

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A Passion for Healing: Neuromuscular Therapy & Holistic Health

Licensed as a massage therapist in 1994 and a graduate of the St. John Neuromuscular Therapy Program in 1996, Christine has spent decades immersed in the study of neuroanatomy and the nervous system. Her knowledge extends into:

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• Craniosacral therapies

• Visceral manipulation

• Balanced ligament tension release

• Somatic emotional release

• Manual therapy techniques

• Myofascial pain syndromes of the head, neck, and face

Her expertise in neuromuscular therapy has been the foundation of her bodywork career. She is also a certified colon hydrotherapist, calling it one of her favorite health hacks.

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Christine’s Life Beyond Yoga

Before embarking on her wellness journey, Christine earned her first college degree in Culinary Arts from Johnson & Wales University. A self-proclaimed foodie at heart, she has followed a plant-based diet since her teenage years.

A true student of life, Christine is deeply passionate about travel, fitness, and community-driven healing.

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"I love what I do—the good, the bad, and the challenging. To have a purpose-filled life is a life well lived."

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You’ll often find Christine barefoot, in a baseball hat, soaking in the vibrant energy of the Raffa community.

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"GRATEFUL is truly my expression for the last 30 years in Rhode Island. The people I have met and had the pleasure of serving have brought me so much joy. GOD BLESS AMERICA."