Sarah Vermiere is the founder of Nurtured Roots, a therapeutic practice rooted in attachment theory, relational healing and the belief that connection is a family’s greatest strength. Drawing on her background as a social worker, alongside her lived experience as an adoptee and parent, Sarah has developed creative, accessible tools that help families navigate rupture and repair with compassion. Her work centres on empowering parents to nurture emotional wellbeing, both in their children and themselves. Here, Sarah talks to The Natural Parent Magazine about the passion behind what she does, the challenges she has overcome, her biggest breakthrough, and her hopes and dreams for the future.
The passion: What inspired you to set up your business?
My inner drive has always been the conviction that love is the ultimate superpower (and modern neuroscience actually backs this up!) After almost 15 years as a social worker, I realised that the existing systems often focused on crisis management rather than prevention and I really wanted to build something different. A structure that allows for authentic, creative and preventative healing, which enhances confidence and capacity to trust your own intuition and embrace your ‘flaws’. Nurtured Roots was born from a desire to translate the clinical science of attachment into accessible, creative tools that parents can actually use, rooted in the belief that connection is the answer.
The Launch: How did you start out in the beginning?
I transitioned from my statutory career in 2023 because I saw a massive gap in the market for deep, therapeutic support that didn’t feel “clinical” and instead was based relationally. I also wanted to be able to focus on the stuff that really mattered to me – building connections and relationships within families whilst also ensuring I could continue to do this within my own. I started offering independent services, including Therapeutic Life Story Work (TLSW), relational play groups and therapeutic support services. I love having the time one to one with young people and families, but I can only reach a limited amount of people, and it is totally dependent on these families having the funds or access to funding. This inspired the ‘Nurtured Roots’ Journal, a 12-month guided framework based on my professional expertise and my personal journey as an adoptee. I also have therapeutic children’s book projects in development to sit alongside this work, as I look to take these tools to a wider audience.
The Innovation: What was the biggest breakthrough for you with your business?
The biggest breakthrough came when I realised that my own history – my journey as an adoptee and a mother navigating the “rupture and repair” of family life, was my greatest professional asset. We are often encouraged to separate our own history and personal feelings from the work we do as social workers – and for very good reason. We can’t assume we know how people are feeling just because their stories are similar to ours. But this doesn’t mean that they don’t make an impact. Once I stopped trying to separate the “Social Worker” from the “Mother”, along with the creative parts of me, and actually combined them – it allowed me to create a unique, therapeutic methodology that parents trust because it isn’t just theory – it’s lived reality. My breakthrough was to turn that vulnerability into a structured framework that helps others heal their own roots without feeling judged.
Yin and Yang: How do you balance work and family?
Being self-employed has been a gift for my family, allowing me to be present for the school runs, the sickness seasons and the assemblies! But, because I am so passionate about this work, the lines can blur – I love my work too much – and it often feeds my soul! One of the important aspects of being a parent is modelling healthy boundaries. It’s okay for my children to see me building a business I love, but I ensure that when I am with them, I am fully present. I had to learn that I cannot pour from an empty cup. I need to nurture myself first to be able to fully nurture their roots.
