The traumatic life a woman from Durbanville had — shaped by adoption, adversity and resilience — led her to write a children’s book based on her own life story and develop a therapeutic “toolbox” to help adopted children or traumatised children.
Local author and mental health life coach Sanette Carrick (53) launched her children’s book series and therapeutic toolboxes for adopted children at an event in Durbanville earlier this month.
Sanette has been adopted twice — first she was taken away from her biological mother as a newborn baby in hospital and later as an eight-year-old, after she was sexually, physically and emotionally abused for years by her first adoptive parents in Oudtshoorn, where they lived.
She has spent more time locked in a dark room outside than she spent in the house, she remembers.
“I felt so rejected and bullied, I did not want to allow anyone in my space.”
The turning point in her life came when she did a therapeutic course named The Human Touch in her twenties. “I went back to Oudtshoorn to my first adoptive parents to forgive them and to find peace.”
Survivor of trauma
Her debut book, Emma — the name given to her by her first adoptive parents — draws from her own early experiences as an adopted child and survivor of childhood trauma. It left a broken soul to handle identity and adjust to new conflicting environments on her own — causing her to be misunderstood, bullied, rejected and lonely.
The launch marks not only the realisation of a lifelong dream, but the beginning of a global mission to support children to navigate the emotional hallenges that start with adoption, Carrick says.
“Actually any parent and child will benefit from both books. Emma is about my first adoption, before my name change and new identity during my second adoption.”
With Emma she decided to word all the emotions she had as a child, alongside being adopted — the bullying, fear and rejection, but just much lighter and readable. From the book Emma emerged the first in a nine-part series of therapeutic toolboxes. under the KindRoots brand, which includes among others games and a journal.
Sensory-friendly tools
The Adoption Journey Toolbox includes the book SAM & Me, which follows Max, a young boy discovering he was adopted. With SAM by his side, Max explores questions, fears, and feelings — ultimately learning that he was chosen, wanted and deeply loved.
The toolbox includes both books, SAM and his adoption certificate, affirmations, a Brave Journal, and other sensory-friendly tools to help children process their emotions and build resilience.
“This launch is more than a book; it’s a healing space for children who feel different, misunderstood or alone. SAM is here to remind them they are never truly alone.
“The story gently guides children and parents into conversations about adoption, emotions, and belonging. It introduces the soft toy monkey SAM, a comfort companion who becomes a symbol of safety and emotional connection — almost like an imaginary friend who guides the boy with his feelings and to control his emotions until he accepts that his family really wants him and that he is loved.”
The next toolbox will be about bullying and will be released next year.
Healing journey
But for Carrick, writing the book Emma and SAM & Me, was also a healing journey.
“Emma has to do with my first adoption. I am still considering if I want to base a follow-up book on my second adoption. It is on my to-do list. I chose to be a victor, not a victim,” says Carrick.
After two abusive marriages, she finally got divorced in 2007. Her daughters are now respectively 23 and 30 years old. Carrick, who now works as a motivational speaker and mental health life coach, focuses on mental health in a corporate environment, as well as individual personal life, and on her book series.
“God has a purpose for me with this all and I hope to learn from this. It made me very positive and also forgiving,” she says.
Locally handmade
Each SAM toy is locally handmade and available exclusively through the KindRoots toolboxes, ensuring every child receives a unique, comforting companion. Future toolboxes will address themes such as bullying, trauma, abuse, anxiety, grief, disability, anger and more; each designed to foster emotional literacy and connection.
KindRoots and SAMspace are both registered trademarks, with SAMspaceset to expand into a mobile app offering therapeutic games and emotional tracking for children aged 3 to 13 years.
Carrick is currently negotiating with adoption agencies to add her toolbox to their adoption packages, and hope to be able to distribute not only nationally, but also globally.
- Visit www.kindroots.me for more information and to order or contact Carrick on 061 441 2520.
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