Carissa’s story is a journey of discovery with more left to uncover and learn as her family's ancestral story has mixed ancestry on both sides. Carissa is an Anishnabe kwe, Eagle Clan from Mississauga, ancestor of European settlers, the Beothuk, Innu and Mi'kmaq peoples. This mixed ancestral story has led Carissa down a long and winding path of discovering her roots, her ancestral lineage, and what it means to be Urban Indigenous. She is bridging the gap for future generations through intergenerational healing of reclaiming all hidden parts of her family stories. 

As a part of her ancestral journey and developing her Indigeneity, Carissa has received her spirit name in ceremony. Her spirit name is a big responsibility, which Carissa is working towards stepping into it fully with a wide array of colours bridging the gap between the spiritual and physical. Gently referred to as, “Rainbow Woman”, Carissa works with all colours and this is extended in the WoW Mississauga as part of an extension of Carissa, a sharing of her that now includes her Indigenous identity, acknowledgment of her ancestors and through this recovery--resilience. 

Many elements of WoW have hidden spiritual meanings. Some are through ancient symbols and traditional healing while others are more personal to the discovery of Carissa's family story. Carissa has always been very connected to Spirit and encourages others to connect with their own Spirit and to embody the full expression of their soul purpose.

Carissa’s work ethic, drive, and journey toward entrepreneurship and self-healing inform her approach to business and Waterfall of Wellness' aims, while her young family and mindset which has been shaped and reshaped-by-motherhood help guide her continued journey of healing and business approach. It’s reciprocal divine energy.

Carissa’s professional life began and appeared set when she started out as an Early Childhood Educator employed by the same childcare center she attended as a child. She was on a path to a full-time contract within the government facility. However, when the center closed, life crashed down on Carissa, leaving her feeling hopeless and lost. Other factors and lived experiences contributed to this transformative moment in her story. Her life journey has featured abusive relationships, unsatisfactory jobs in the corporate world, and a multitude of health issues caused by stress and a workplace injury. These experiences and the knowledge gained therein have helped Carissa find her healing journey and serve as some of the motivations for starting WoW.

The new beginnings of WoW Mississauga was initially inspired by a local waterfall -- a special place of healing, connection, reflection and Carissa’s shift towards abundance, nourishment and self-love. A time and place, special to Carissa, which marked the beginning of a healing journey of balance and this nourished her as she embraces a life of many experiences including, a change in her career, the depths of friendship, healing, a continued relationship with her life partner and the birth of her beautiful daughter as she became a mother. This time and place Carissa made for herself at the waterfall inspired the name Waterfall of Wellness and also the concept Carissa talks about -- the cup that overflows/sharing with others (like a waterfall) that she balanced with time and space for self/self love so her cup is full and not empty.

WoW is Carissa’s holistic wellness business that came to fruition in 2019 with Carissa and her best friend, Alaini, a red-seal chef, developing products and partnering in their entrepreneurial endeavours. Through collaboration and co-creation with Alaini, Carissa anchored the WoW signature product, Lavender Whipped Body Butter, inspired by their friendship. Things took a turn when Alaini needed to focus on her family, stepping aside while remaining a source of encouragement and support for Carissa. 

In 2020, Carissa and her life partner faced many great losses. As part of Carissa’s healing, she was called to “birth her creativity”. While fully supported by her spouse, she gave life to the business, Waterfall of Wellness. Family, healing and compassion are at the front and center of WoW Mississauga. 

In March 2021, Carissa found out she was pregnant after suffering an episode of Bell’s Palsy. Carissa found relief through holistic healing, drumming, singing, connecting with ancestors and traditional medicines. By the summer, Carissa, baby in womb and her mother were very active at markets and events. Three generations in community, sharing and growing together. 

As Carissa’s life path can be a teacher for many of us, things changed again when Alaini was diagnosed with cancer and passed away in May 2022. To make the journey more complicated, Carissa was dealing with the emotional, neurological, and life-altering realities of being a new mother at the same time. Yet, Carissa’s journey of healing and enabling others to find their healing is not a solitary journey as Alaini’s recipes, guidance and unconditional love still guides Carissa and helps inform Wow's changing and growing mission despite no longer being with us on this plane. And even now, that Alaini has passed into the spirit world, their friendship and work continues as an extension of Carissa and Alaini, a sharing of friendship and community.

What’s entirely unique about Waterfall of Wellness is the healing that Carissa is doing for herself through her products on an extremely deep level, like her need to hide gems everywhere and the emerging Holistic Healing with Hidden Gems product line, wherein Carissa and the purchasers healing is revealed overtime, when it’s ready and needed the most. Everything is curated in ceremony and incorporates multiple modalities of healing. Carissa brought in the healing earth element with a bit of fun and games -- through hidden gemstones in the WoW creations.  Fun and games is at the heart of many cultures including Indigenous and European cultures, which Carissa incorporated in WoW Mississauga, a reflection, extension of Carissa- grounded in fun and games which now includes the healing properties of our beautiful mother earth through hidden gemstones as well as plant medicine ingredients through essential oils.