Today we’d like to introduce you to Carolee Mafi.
Hi Carolee, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My story is about transforming from deep pain and self-loathing into empowerment and self-love, from feeling powerless and stuck in victimhood to realizing I am the creator of my life. I experienced abuse at five years old, and that trauma rewired my brain and nervous system, creating patterns of fear, hyper-vigilance, and self-protection that showed up in every area of my life: addiction, teenage pregnancy, unhealthy relationships, and cycles of self-sabotage. For years, I carried shame and believed I was broken, unlovable, and undeserving of happiness, seeking validation outside myself.
It wasn’t until I learned how trauma impacts the nervous system that I began to understand why I struggled, and what tools could help me heal. I integrated practices like craniosacral therapy, nervous system resets, and energy work, and paired them with a mindset shift inspired by personal development: moving from “I am broken” to “I am already whole.” I began letting go of old constructs and beliefs that no longer served me and remembering how to love myself.
Today, I’m a mother of six, a professional at O.C. Tanner, a massage therapist specializing in craniosacral therapy, and the founder of The Waterpath and Carolee Mafi Speaks. Through my businesses, I help people reconnect with themselves, release trauma, and step fully into their power, embracing sovereignty, self-love, and the courage to create the life and love they deserve. My journey is living proof that we can rewrite our story, that we are not defined by our past, but by the choices we make and the love we cultivate for ourselves.
If there’s one message I want people to take from my journey, it’s this: you are loved simply for existing, and the moment you choose to stop identifying as powerless and start remembering who you truly are, your life transforms.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has definitely not been a smooth road. For many years, my life felt like one long battle just to survive. Divorcing the father of my six kids, nearly destroyed me. Even though he was never truly there for us, I still had this deep attachment and a fear of being completely alone. I would have rather stayed in an unhealthy, abusive relationship than face the pain of being by myself.
Raising six kids alone was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I cried myself to sleep almost every night, wondering how I would make it through another day. I was exhausted, overwhelmed, and drowning in guilt because I felt like I was failing as a mom. I’d lose my temper and yell when I didn’t want to. I couldn’t keep the house clean no matter how hard I tried. There were nights when we had cereal for dinner because that’s all I could manage, and days when life hurt so much that all I could do was sleep just to escape it.
I loved my kids with everything in me, but I was broken inside. I struggled with addiction for years, I’d get clean for a while but feel miserable inside because I hadn’t healed the pain beneath it. What people call “dry sober.” Eventually, I’d fall back into old habits, trapped in this exhausting loop of shame, guilt, and self-destruction.
Depression was constant. I felt worthless, hopeless, and invisible. There were moments I would curl up in the fetal position, sobbing and praying to know what it felt like to love myself, but I truly believed I never would. Then one night, something inside me broke open. I was so tired of the pain, the abuse, and the hopelessness. Even though I didn’t believe I deserved much, I found the smallest spark of strength inside me, enough to whisper, “I deserve more than this.” The next day, I filed for divorce.
That was the moment everything began to shift, even though I didn’t realize it at the time. It was the moment I decided I couldn’t live like that anymore, and even though I was terrified, I took my first real step toward freedom.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about The Waterpath Craniosacral & Massage Therapy?
My businesses are The Waterpath and Carolee Mafi Speaks, and together they are more than just ventures, they are spaces for people to come home to themselves and reclaim their power. I chose the name The Waterpath because water represents flow, purification, and life itself. Just like water, healing asks us to soften, release resistance, and trust the natural current of transformation. At The Waterpath, I specialize in craniosacral therapy, deep tissue massage, and gentle, hands-on energy healing that works with the nervous system to release stored trauma, emotional blockages, and physical tension. It’s deeply intuitive work that allows the body to reset and the soul to feel safe again. My approach is unique because I blend the science of the body with the energetics of spirit. Every session is guided by intuition, compassion, and the belief that the body knows how to heal when given the right support.
What sets The Waterpath apart is that it’s not just about physical healing, it’s about emotional and spiritual awakening. My goal is to create a sanctuary where people feel seen, held, and safe to release what no longer serves them, so they can reconnect with their own power, clarity, and peace. Brand-wise, I’m most proud of the authenticity behind it. This isn’t a business I created just to make a living, it’s the embodiment of everything I’ve lived through and learned. I’ve walked through darkness, and now I get to help others find their light.
Through Carolee Mafi Speaks, I bring this same message of healing, empowerment, and radical self-love to larger audiences. One of my central messages when I speak is sovereignty: empowering people to become the creators of their own lives, to break free from constructs and conditioning that no longer serve them, and to fully step into self-love and their highest expression. Both of these paths, healing and speaking, flow from the same truth: transformation is possible, and when we step fully into our power, life opens up in ways we never imagined.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
For most of my life, I kept myself small. I never spoke up, never stepped outside my comfort zone, and was terrified to be seen, a trauma response from childhood abuse. I muted myself and lived for everyone else, afraid of judgment and rejection. I pushed love away, convinced I didn’t deserve it.
Everything changed when I filed for divorce and stepped into the unknown for myself and my kids. That first leap taught me that fear isn’t something to avoid, it’s a compass, pointing toward growth, freedom, and the life you’re meant to live. From that moment on, I became what I call a professional risk-taker. I made a conscious choice to take all the things I had once seen as my weaknesses, everything that scared me, and turn them into strengths by going after them anyway. I chased the things that terrified me: learning piano at 33, snowboarding at 34 (fractured my wrist!), leaving a religion that no longer served me, starting a career in sales, opening my own craniosacral and massage business, and coming out as gay!
One of the most transformative risks I’ve taken has been public speaking. It terrified me, my whole body would shake to death, but I started stepping on stages anyway. And every time I speak, I feel more alive, more confident, and more aligned with my purpose. Through these experiences, the seed was planted in my heart: one of my greatest purposes in this life is to be a speaker, to empower people to step out of victimhood and into creator consciousness, to move from self-loathing to radical self-love, and to realize that anything is possible. I know now what it feels like to claim your life fully, and I want to help others feel that same power and freedom in their own journeys.
But the biggest risk I’ve ever taken was opening my heart fully to love. I had to first love and trust myself, step fully into who I am, and embrace my own sovereignty for this to work. I let myself feel love without holding back, without fear, and without trying to control it. After witnessing so many relationships built on ownership, expectation, and control, my girlfriend and I vowed we would never enter another partnership unless it honored full sovereignty. What emerged was something I’ve never seen or experienced before: a relationship without ownership, built on freedom, trust, vulnerability, honesty, and the purest, deepest love. With her, I discovered a love that honored both of our sovereignty, allowed us to show up fully, and mirrored the joy, self-acceptance, and liberation I had long been seeking. Loving fully on this unprecedented level has been the most transformative, life-giving risk of my life.
All of the personal, professional, and emotional risks I’ve taken, from stepping into the unknown in my own life to pursuing public speaking and building Carolee Mafi Speaks, directly inform the work I do at both Carolee Mafi Speaks and The Waterpath. They shape how I help people reconnect with themselves, step into their power, and embrace the courage to create the life and love they truly deserve. Risk isn’t recklessness; it’s choosing to show up fully in your truth. And the rewards? They are beyond anything I could have imagined.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_waterpath?igsh=MXE5ZWQwZHJnb2docg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carolee-mafi-04a64a220/
- Other: https://www.etsy.com/people/4zuq20mssaye4ni3?ref=hdr_user_menu-profile
