Our Story
We believe that all families have the potential to regain harmony and balance, shifting from a place of disruption, disconnection, and chaos to a "Home" of connection, kinship, safety and support.
Meet Tessa Small-McPhee (CRPNM, BScPN), a dedicated mental health professional with over twenty years of experience. Throughout her career, Tessa has passionately supported mothers and families navigating the complexities of the child and family services system. In 2021, she co-founded Home Counselling and Wellness, a private practice where she frequently faced the systemic challenges and gaps in child welfare, always driven by the desire to find better solutions for families in need.
One pivotal evening, after another challenging week, Tessa engaged in a meaningful conversation that would spark a visionary idea. The recurring theme was the detrimental effects of separating mothers and children during intervention periods, which often resulted in increased trauma and impeded the healing journey for both. Tessa imagined a more innovative, personalized approach—one that would keep families united in a supervised, safe environment. This new model would honor the unique bonds between mothers and their children, leveraging the strength of togetherness and attachment to foster resilience and healing.
Fueled by this shared vision, Tessa embarked on a mission to transform this dream into reality. She collaborated with like-minded individuals to establish OTTER Home Inc., a facility dedicated to empowering families as they navigate their challenges. Thanks to the generous support of private funders and the Carberry, Manitoba community, OTTER Home Inc. now stands as a sanctuary where mothers and children can stay together. Here, they receive tailored mental health support, parenting education, and life skills training, with the ultimate goal of achieving lasting family unity.
Join us on this journey as we continue to make a difference, one family at a time.