Running and swimming competitively for years, teaching elementary school, and chasing my 3 young kids around led me to my first yoga class about 10 years ago. I was constantly on the go and not very present for myself or those around me.  Something in me kept bringing me back to my mat. I was beginning to become more aware of how yoga was the magic connection of the mind, body, and soul.  Meditative breath work, focusing on strengthening postures, and enjoying the benefits of a restful savasana taught me how to steady myself on and off the mat. I kept going to yoga classes because I felt a shift after each class and I wanted and needed to keep feeling good! I was eager to deepen my practice and knowledge even further, therefore I completed my 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training in 2022 and have been teaching all levels vinyasa flow yoga ever since!  In addition to teaching adults yoga, I am also a certified children's yoga instructor.  I love guiding people of all ages on their yoga journeys and meeting them wherever they are at on their mats!

Raika is an E-RYT and completed her 200-hour teacher training in 2016 with the New School of Yogic Arts at Coolidge Corner Yoga. She also completed Restorative Yoga training in 2019 and Yin Yoga training in 2023. Through teacher training, Raika discovered the power of self-exploration with the support of a gracious and loving community. Yoga has taught her how to explore her perceived physical and mental limitations as well as to appreciate the beauty of being a student. Her teaching encourages her students to discover the power of self-exploration through breath and movement. Raika's classes are shaped by her compassionate touch and are characterized by a balance of restorative poses and mindful vinyasa movement. She encourages a slower pace and longer holds so that students can incorporate attention to alignment and integrity in the asanas. Raika also incorporates restorative or gentle yoga poses to encourage students to relax and renew, as time on the mat is the truest form of self-care.

Yoga has been a steady support in my life since graduating college in the late 90s. I began my journey with more athletic forms of yoga (Bikram, heated vinyasa). Then as I moved through different stages of life (from pregnancy, to new mom, to now midlife) my practice has shifted and evolved to include more restorative practices. My teaching centers mental and emotional balance just as much as bringing more physical comfort to your body. When I am not teaching, I am working one on one with clients in my private yoga therapy practice in J.P. My love for learning has led me to many certifications over the last 20+ years: 200hr YTT from YogaSpirit Studios (2005), 500hr YTT from Barbara Benagh and 600hr Yoga Therapy certification from Phoenix Rising (2020). Additional certifications include: Trauma-Informed Yoga Therapy Training, Thai Yoga Massage, Restorative Yoga Teacher Training, The Art of Assists, Yoga for Anxiety and Depression, and Reiki level 1.

Raika is an E-RYT and completed her 200-hour teacher training in 2016 with the New School of Yogic Arts at Coolidge Corner Yoga. She also completed Restorative Yoga training in 2019 and Yin Yoga training in 2023. Through teacher training, Raika discovered the power of self-exploration with the support of a gracious and loving community. Yoga has taught her how to explore her perceived physical and mental limitations as well as to appreciate the beauty of being a student. Her teaching encourages her students to discover the power of self-exploration through breath and movement. Raika's classes are shaped by her compassionate touch and are characterized by a balance of restorative poses and mindful vinyasa movement. She encourages a slower pace and longer holds so that students can incorporate attention to alignment and integrity in the asanas. Raika also incorporates restorative or gentle yoga poses to encourage students to relax and renew, as time on the mat is the truest form of self-care.