Hi Katie, in order to help you we need to know what kind of orchid, where you live and your growing conditions. Second it's never a good idea to cut healthy roots. Remember healthy roots equal healthy plant. Orchids uses their roots to feed, anchor,fight pest and deseases. Orchids are different, some are considered hard and some easy, but their is an orchid for everyone you just need to grow the one that does well in your environment. And you can always ask here and I am sure everyone is more than happy to help. We are all still learning from each other. I am guessing your plant is a phalaenopsis, this is considered easy. And most of us here go with a bark based medium. No direct light, just filtered, water when roots turn silvery say every 5-7 days. Fertilize maybe twice per month, run clear fresh water through the pot at least once per month to flush it. And the American Orchid Society has excellent cultural notes so you can just Google it. Let us know how better we can help by just asking.Velleta