After graduating from NYU in 2002, Raphael and her best friend from college, Casey Wilson, studied improvisational comedy at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater in New York City, where they would eventually run their two-woman sketch show for a number of years.

Raphael and Wilson's comedic partnership has since branched out into an active writing career in film and television; they co-wrote their first screenplay for the comedy Bride Wars, in which they also appeared in supporting roles.

They most recently wrote and starred together in the raunchy female buddy comedy Ass Backwards, which also co-stars Alicia Silverstone, Jon Cryer, Vincent D'Onofrio, Paul Scheer, and Bob Odenkirk.

In 2013 it was reported that Raphael and Wilson were working on a second film to star in together, produced by Will Ferrell and Adam McKay's company Gary Sanchez Productions.

[10] Raphael and Casey Wilson created the comedic stage show The Realest Real Housewives, which they starred in alongside Jessica St. Clair, Melissa Rauch, Danielle Schneider and Morgan Walsh.

[11] Raphael also contributed short stories to the 2010 book Worst Laid Plans, based on the long-running stage show, in which she frequently performed.

They met in January 2004, after first meeting when the artistic director of Manhattan's Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre brought Scheer in to offer advice to Raphael and her comedy partner Casey Wilson on making improvements to their UCB two-woman sketch show.