Sophie Schauermann, MSW, LCSW | Founder and CEO

Sophie founded Rooted Rhythm in 2019 with a simple belief: children deserve mental health care designed specifically for who they are, not a smaller version of adult therapy. She earned her undergraduate degree in child development and clinical psychology from Tufts University before completing her Master of Social Work at the University of Denver. Early in her career, she provided home-based intensive services, worked alongside families in schools and outpatient mental health settings, and gained firsthand experience supporting children through a wide range of developmental and family challenges. She also conducts Parent Responsibility Evaluations for the Colorado court system.

She began Rooted Rhythm as a solo practitioner, renting a therapy office just two days each week because she had no way of knowing whether enough families would find her to justify having the space full time. She brought her own play therapy toys to the shared office, knowing they would be available for any other clinician using the space. Today, the practice has grown to 25 therapy offices and many therapists across multiple states, but the heart of the work remains exactly the same.

At the heart of Sophie's philosophy is the understanding that children require a fundamentally different therapeutic model than adults. Every stage of development brings unique strengths, needs, and ways of experiencing the world. Meaningful therapy begins by meeting children where they are while equipping the adults in their lives to better understand and support them. When caregivers grow in understanding, families naturally become more connected.

As Rooted Rhythm grew, families began asking whether the same relationship-centered philosophy could support teens, adults, couples, and families. In response, the practice thoughtfully expanded, building a team of clinicians who tailor their care to each stage of life while remaining grounded in the same core values. Today, Rooted Rhythm serves children, teens, adults, couples, and families while remaining deeply committed to developmentally informed, attachment-centered care.

Sophie is also the founder of the Tuned In Institute, an educational platform that expands access to practical, attachment-informed tools for parents, caregivers, educators, and professionals. She believes meaningful change happens not only in the therapy room, but also through the everyday moments and relationships that shape our lives.

Sophie stepped into parenthood all at once, becoming a stepmother in her twenties to two toddlers before later welcoming her biological daughter. Together, they have built a close-knit family where each child is deeply loved, valued, and belongs. Those experiences have deepened Sophie's appreciation for the many ways families are formed and continue to shape both her leadership and her clinical perspective. Her husband is also a therapist in the Denver area, and they continue learning alongside their children as each new stage of development brings fresh opportunities for growth. She especially enjoys supporting parents, stepparents, grandparents, and the many other caring adults who play an important role in a child's life.

A team member once asked Sophie whether she ever has a day that is simply "Sophie" instead of Rooted Rhythm. She smiled and replied, "I don't really think of them as separate anymore." The values that shape her work are the same ones that guide her life at home, and each continually makes the other better. Being a therapist, leader, wife, and mother are not competing roles for Sophie but different expressions of the same purpose. She genuinely loves her work and feels grateful that the lessons she learns with families, her team, and her own children continually deepen one another.

As the daughter of an entrepreneur and a dyslexia specialist, Sophie grew up with two very different but equally formative examples. From her father, she watched what it meant to build organizations, lead teams, and pursue a vision over the long term. From her mother, she learned the quiet, patient work of sitting alongside a child, helping them discover their strengths, build confidence, and believe in themselves. Those experiences shaped both the way she leads and the way she practices.

While those early influences profoundly impacted her, Sophie never imagined she would one day be leading a growing organization herself. Rooted Rhythm was not part of a grand business plan. It simply grew from a desire to better serve children and families, one relationship at a time. Today, she remains in awe of the team that has formed, the lives being impacted, and the opportunity to help shape an organization devoted to exceptional clinical care.