Rediscovering Strength Through Breathwork with kristine rafanan
In this episode of Get Sculpted, Marilynn speaks with Kristine Rafanan about the transformative power of breathwork in a holistic fitness approach.
Caught in an endless cycle of pushing harder, doing more, yet feeling increasingly disconnected from your fitness goals and overall well-being? What if the key to overcoming burnout and transforming your body isn’t in another workout plan, but in something as simple as your breath?
In this transformative episode, Marilynn speaks with our in-house breathwork practitioner and founder of Soulful Breaths, Kristine Rafanen. Kristine is sharing her remarkable journey from burned-out personal trainer to empowered healer. Through her story of transformation, Kristine reveals how integrating breathwork into your fitness routine can help you overcome burnout, reconnect with your authentic self, and create sustainable results. This conversation isn't just about breathing techniques – it's about discovering a holistic approach to fitness that honors the connection between body, mind, and spirit.
Here’s what we cover:
How breathwork can be the missing piece in your holistic fitness journey
Learning to recognize the often-overlooked signs of burnout that may be sabotaging your fitness progress and overall wellbeing
Why traditional meditation might not work for you, and how breathwork offers a different path to mental clarity and emotional release
The powerful connection between breath, physical tension, and emotional armor
How integrating breathwork into your fitness routine can help you break free from cycles of perfectionism and people-pleasing
The surprising link between emotional resilience and physical transformation and how breathwork can help you build both simultaneously
If you're ready to break free from burnout and discover a more sustainable approach to fitness, this episode illuminates the transformative power of breathwork as your path forward. Through Kristine's powerful journey and insights, you'll learn that true transformation isn't about pushing harder – it's about creating space to breathe, heal, and grow.
All sorts of breath work, can help reduce muscle tension related to unprocessed trauma and emotions held in the body.
-Kristine
What part of your fitness journey could benefit from this deeper mind-body-spirit connection? Connect with Kristine on Instagram @soulful.breaths and @kristinerafanan to continue your breathwork journey, and don't forget to follow us for more episodes on holistic approaches to fitness that honor your whole self.
More About Kristine Rafanan
Kristine is a certified Trauma-Informed Breathwork Facilitator, Integral Breath Therapy Practitioner, Intuitive Guide, and founder of Soulful Breaths. After over a decade as a personal trainer, Kristine experienced burnout, profound loss, and personal struggles that ultimately led her to discover the transformative power of the breath.
Through her own healing journey, Kristine transitioned from fitness to healing work and now helps others reconnect with their authentic selves, heal, transform, and find freedom through conscious breathing. She offers 1-on-1 sessions, workshops, and group experiences designed to promote healing, growth, and alignment in body, mind, and spirit, empowering others to embrace themselves fully and live with greater resilience and self-compassion.
Connect with Kristine:
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More about the Get Sculpted Podcast
Welcome to Get Sculpted, the podcast designed for women ready to transform their bodies and level up their lives with science-based strategies and actionable advice.
We dive into the essentials of fat loss, muscle building, and metabolism optimization by helping you work smarter, not harder.
This isn’t about quick fixes or fad diets; it’s about creating sustainable habits and stacking wins. We’ll help you fuel your body, strengthen your mindset, and build your 2.0 sculpted self from the inside out.
We’re your hosts, Jordanna, Marilynn, and Tijana. We have over 20 years of collective experience in the training, nutrition, and body transformation business, with over 1000 transformations and counting.
Ready to get stronger, more empowered, and embrace a healthier, more resilient you? Join us every week and start sculpting the life you deserve!
The unedited podcast transcript for this episode of the Get Sculpted podcast follows:
I'm Marilynn, and I’ll be hosting our episode today. Let’s start with a question:
What if the thing you've been searching for to overcome burnout, stress, or even a plateau in your fitness journey has actually been with you all along?
Today, we’re diving into a powerful tool that’s as simple as it is transformative: your breath. This episode isn't just about fitness or breathwork—it’s about breaking free from what holds you back and stepping into a stronger, more aligned version of yourself.
To help us explore this incredible topic, I am very excited to introduce someone who truly embodies resilience and transformation: Kristine Raffinan.
Kristine is not only our in-house Get Sculpted breathwork practitioner, she is also the founder of Soulful Breath. Her journey from personal trainer to healer will inspire you to think differently about what’s possible in your own life.
Kristine's Journey: From Personal Trainer to Breathwork Healer
[Marilynn] Kristine, welcome to the show! I’m so excited to be having this conversation with you.[Kristine] Thank you for having me! Excited to be here.
[Marilynn] Let’s start at the beginning. What led you to become a personal trainer, and ultimately, what made you decide to leave fitness and pursue breathwork full-time?
[Kristine] That’s a loaded question, so buckle up!
My journey started at 19 with a deep desire to help others, especially those struggling with mental health. I initially pursued social work, but my professor said something that changed my path:
“You can’t take care of others until you take care of yourself first.”
At the time, I was struggling with depression, anxiety, low self-worth, and physical health issues like weight and PCOS. I realized I wasn’t in a place to support others effectively. So, I made the difficult decision to drop out of university and focus on my own healing.
A Personal Transformation Through Fitness
A few months later, I wasn’t in school and started working as a server. During that time, I was also grieving the loss of my grandmother. Watching her health decline from diabetes, loss of sight, and mobility was a wake-up call.I decided to take control of my health and hired a personal trainer. Within a year, I lost 70 pounds, and the experience was life-changing—not just physically, but mentally and emotionally.
That transformation inspired me to become a personal trainer. I spent over 10 years in the fitness industry, working in corporate gyms, transitioning to independent training, and eventually co-owning a gym from 2020-2022.
The Dark Side of the Fitness Industry
My experience as a personal trainer taught me a lot about why people get stuck in cycles of: Burnout Perfectionism Yo-yo dietingI saw firsthand how people believed they had to push harder, do more, and be perfect to see results. But those beliefs led to exhaustion, frustration, and eventually, giving up.
Many clients also struggled with low self-worth, thinking they weren’t good enough unless they looked a certain way. Emotional eating was a recurring theme—I heard, “I eat my feelings”, in nearly every consultation.
But the truth?
I was stuck in the same cycle. I felt pressure to lead by example, show up perfectly for my clients, and constantly push myself. But underneath it all, I was running on empty—struggling with emotional eating, depression, and anxiety.
The Turning Point: Loss & Finding Breathwork
In 2020, my father passed away from pancreatic cancer. His death made me question everything.That’s when breathwork found me—twice, through a mentor and a friend.
At first, I was skeptical.
I thought, “Breathing? What’s that going to do?”
I hated meditation at the time because I couldn’t turn off my mind. But everyone said, "Breathwork is different."
So I gave it a try.
How Breathwork Changed My Life
As I began practicing, my anxiety decreased, I felt more compassion for myself, and things that used to trigger me no longer did.The biggest shift?
For the first time, I felt truly present in my body. I wasn’t waiting for the next crisis—I was just being.
I realized breathwork wasn’t just about mental and emotional wellbeing. It complemented fitness in a way nothing else had. So I got certified as a Breathwork Facilitator and started introducing it to my personal training clients.
Leaving Fitness to Pursue Breathwork Full-Time
In 2022, during a ceremony, I had a moment of clarity. Spirit spoke to me:“If you want to make a bigger impact, you need to leave fitness and pursue breathwork full-time.”
That moment hit me HARD. I felt nauseous for days. But deep down, I knew I had to follow this path.
So, I left my gym and founded Soulful Breaths, where I now guide people on a deeper healing journey.
As terrifying as that leap was, it has been the most rewarding decision of my life.
Understanding Burnout: The Signs & Symptoms
[Marilynn] Let’s talk about burnout. What did it look like for you physically and mentally?[Kristine] By 2022, I was running on empty. Waking up exhausted every day Chronic tension in my neck Energy crashes Restless sleep Skin breakouts
Mentally, it was even worse:
Brain fog from morning to night Weekly panic attacks Feeling like I couldn’t stop
I told myself, “I just have to keep going.” But my body forced me to slow down—with injuries, mental health struggles, and a deep sense that something was out of alignment.
Breathwork became my lifeline.
What Is Breathwork?
[Marilynn] For those who may not be familiar, what exactly is breathwork?[Kristine] Breathwork is an umbrella term that covers thousands of breathing techniques.
Some help calm the nervous system and get you out of fight-or-flight mode. Others help release stored tension or connect you to your intuition.
The key? Breathwork brings your body, mind, and spirit back into alignment.
How Breathwork Supports Physical Transformation
[Marilynn] Many of our listeners come to Get Sculpted for a physical transformation. How does breathwork support that journey?p> [Kristine] Breathwork supports fitness in ways people don’t realize: ✔ Increases capacity for change (reduces fear of discomfort) ✔ Helps regulate stress (reduces cortisol, a fat-storing hormone) ✔ Improves sleep quality (essential for recovery) ✔ Enhances mental resilience (helps push through fitness plateaus) ✔ Interrupts self-sabotage patterns ✔ Releases stored emotional tension (which often manifests as tightness in the body)When mind, emotions, and spirit are aligned, the body transformation follows naturally.
[Marilynn] For the woman listening right now who feels stuck—what would you say to her?
[Kristine] You’re not alone.
And there is a way out.
Breathwork teaches you that letting go is an act of courage. If you feel stuck, take a deep breath, and ask yourself:
➡ What am I ready to let go of? ➡ What is no longer serving me?
The right question can change everything.
[Marilynn] Kristine, thank you for sharing your story and wisdom. You’re a gift to our community.
If you want to connect with Kristine, follow her at @soulful.breaths on Instagram.
Tune in next week when Coach Tijana sits down with Lindsay Craig to talk about strength and resilience through fitness, even in life’s darkest moments.
Until then, take a deep breath—you’ve got this. 💛