Bodywork Practitioners

Christine Raffa

Christine Raffa is the owner-operator of the Raffa Neuromuscular Treatment Center and the Raffa Power Yoga Studio located in Cranston. The Raffa Neuromuscular Treatment Center opened in 1993 and has been serving the Rhode Island community providing Soft Tissue Rehabilitative care for over eighteen (18) years.

Christine is a graduate of the Bancroft School of Massage Therapy and is licensed and nationally certified in Massage Therapy. She also holds certification in Pre-natal and Post-natal Massage Therapy and in the St. John method of Neuromuscular Therapy. Christine trained exclusively with Paul St. John and was a member of his teacher-training assistant program. She has completed advanced studies in neuro-anatomy, advanced physiology and myofascial pain syndromes, advanced training in cranio-sacral and cranio-decompression therapy, somatic emotional release, visceral mobilization, muscle energy, neuro-tissue tension release and structural integration techniques. She has advanced studies in exercise physiology, various forms of energy techniques and the disciplines of yoga and movement therapies. Christine has been a kriya yogi for over 18 years and is also a student of vipassana meditative training and insight meditation.

Christine's expertise is in postural distortion and bio mechanical imbalances of the body. Christine states:

"Health care today for the most part is incomplete. The system is set up to treat symptoms but seldom the underlying causation of physical, mental and emotional pain and dysfunction. Hands-on healing modalities have been used for thousands of years to bring relief and treatment to people in pain. Our time is money, society has moved towards high tech, invasive and pharmaceutical-based attempts to solutions for our body's imbalances. I strongly believe we need to take a breath and observe the ways we are living our lives. The food we eat, the thoughts we think, the amount of exercise or lack thereof, all participate in the stresses we endure and the connection to the experience of our lives. Only when we are in true balance mentally, emotionally, spiritually and physically will we return to the true essence of ourselves. Pain is not a way of life but a wake up call to the urgency to live in-balance and fully in the present moment."

Christine is available all day on Fridays at BBY. To book an appointment, please email raffayoga@yahoo.com and let her know you would like to see her in Boston.

Massage: Ganitha Maneepakorn, LMT

Ganitha Maneepakorn, LMT, is a specialist in traditional Thai Massage and Thai treatments. She holds several diplomas and certifications in traditional Thai healing arts through the Ministry of Health and Education in the Kingdom of Thailand. This program was sanctioned by King Rama IX, to strengthen and propagate traditional Thai Medicine abroad.

Being a native Thai, Ganitha has had the privilege of being immersed in a family and culture of traditional Thai Massage and medicine. Ganitha is also a Usui Reiki Master and incorporates Reiki Healing into her massage treatments.

Ganitha's services include Traditional Thai Massage and Reflexology; Swedish, Deep Tissue, and Sports Massage; Energy Work including Pranic Healing and Reiki; and Aromatherapy.

Ganitha sees clients at Back Bay Yoga on Mondays and Tuesday evenings and other times as desired. To book a session, please call her directly at 617-784-3048

Massage: Dara Cerv

Dara moved to Boston in 2003 as a graduate student and discovered the haven of Back Bay Yoga studio later that year. Thanks to the enthralling community of teachers, healers, and students, her yoga practice opened many doors of healing, one of which was bodywork.

A graduate of the Muscular Therapy Institute (now Coriva Boston), Dara cultivates an integrative practice of therapeutic massage with the intention of gaining more knowledge through continuing education. Under her belt so far are the basics of Swedish, Neuromuscular, Myofascial, and Sports Massage. Sessions focus on a person's individual needs and concerns, and are infused with the notion that each being seeks presence in the body in order to understand and interact with the world more fully. Healing may begin on any level, and bodywork is a particularly informative and marvelous way to access this quality in one's life.

For more information and rates, contact Dara at 617-519-5694 or at dara.bodywork[at]gmail.com. (Email correspondence is welcome!).