This Medical Disclaimer applies to all content on returntotrueself.co (the "Site"), the Return to Self guide, the Foundations 1:1 coaching container, and any other resources or services we provide.
Please read this carefully. By using the Site or any of our Services, you acknowledge and agree to the following.
1. We are not medical professionals
Return to Self is operated by a writer and mind-body transformation coach. We are not:
- A medical doctor or physician
- A psychologist, psychiatrist, or other registered mental health professional
- A registered counsellor (this status will be updated when the operator completes their counselling diploma)
- A nurse, allied health professional, or any other licensed healthcare provider
Our work is informed by lived experience with chronic illness and by extensive study of mind-body science, somatic and psychological literature, and the research underlying the framework we teach. It is not, however, the same as care provided by a licensed medical or mental health professional.
2. Our content is educational, not medical
All content provided by Return to Self — including the Site, the Return to Self guide, free resources, the Foundations container, social media posts, emails, podcasts, videos, and any other communication — is for educational and informational purposes only.
Nothing we provide is intended to:
- Diagnose any medical condition
- Treat, cure, or prevent any disease or disorder
- Prescribe or recommend any medication, supplement, or medical intervention
- Substitute for the advice of a qualified healthcare professional
If you are reading our content, working through our guide, or participating in our coaching, you should also be working with appropriate licensed healthcare providers for any medical or mental health concerns.
3. Specific conditions referenced
We discuss conditions including chronic fatigue, ME/CFS, Long COVID, PPPD (Persistent Postural-Perceptual Dizziness), vestibular migraine, MdDS (Mal de Débarquement Syndrome), chronic anxiety, depression, and burnout.
When we discuss these conditions, we are:
- Sharing the framework and lived experience of how the operator came through similar experiences
- Discussing psychological, somatic, and behavioural patterns associated with these conditions
- Pointing toward work that may be a useful complement to medical care
We are not:
- Diagnosing you with any of these conditions
- Claiming our work cures any of these conditions
- Recommending you stop or modify any medical treatment
- Advising on medication, supplements, or medical interventions
If you have or suspect you have any of these conditions, you must consult a qualified medical professional for diagnosis and treatment.
4. Do not delay or replace medical care
If you have a medical or mental health concern:
- See a qualified professional first. Many conditions described on this Site can have structural, biological, or pharmacological causes that require proper diagnosis and treatment.
- Do not stop, change, or skip medication based on our content. Any changes to medication should be discussed with your prescribing doctor.
- Do not delay seeking care because of our content. Our framework is intended to complement appropriate medical care, not replace it.
We strongly recommend our content is approached as one part of a broader, professionally-supported approach to your health.
5. Mental health crises
Our Services are not crisis support and are not appropriate for people in acute mental health crisis or experiencing suicidal thoughts.
If you are in crisis, please contact:
Australia:
- Lifeline: 13 11 14
- Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467
- Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636
- Emergency: 000
International crisis lines:
- USA: 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
- UK: 116 123 (Samaritans)
- For other countries: findahelpline.com
If you are not in crisis but are experiencing significant mental health symptoms, please work with a registered mental health professional. We can recommend the kind of professional that may be appropriate, but we cannot replace this care.
6. Individual results vary
We do not guarantee specific outcomes from our content, the guide, or the Foundations container. Recovery from chronic illness is complex, individual, and depends on many factors including the underlying causes, your personal circumstances, the other support you have access to, and your engagement with the work.
Some readers and clients experience significant change. Some experience modest change. Some experience no measurable change. We cannot predict your specific outcome, and any testimonials we publish describe individual experiences that may not be representative.
7. The Foundations container is coaching, not therapy
Foundations is a 1:1 mind-body transformation coaching container. It is not psychotherapy, psychological treatment, or counselling in the registered-counsellor sense.
Coaching focuses on:
- Frameworks for understanding patterns underneath chronic conditions
- Tools for working with these patterns in daily life
- Accountability and reflection
- Practical work toward authentic alignment
Coaching does not include:
- Diagnosis or treatment of mental health conditions
- Trauma processing in the clinical-therapeutic sense
- Medication management
- Psychiatric assessment
If you have significant trauma, severe mental health symptoms, or active psychiatric needs, you should be working with a registered psychologist, psychiatrist, or therapist as your primary mental health support. The Foundations container can complement this care but cannot replace it.
8. Your responsibility
By engaging with our content or Services, you acknowledge that:
- You are responsible for your own health and wellbeing
- You will continue to work with appropriate licensed healthcare providers
- You will not stop or modify medical treatment based on our content
- You understand the framework we teach is one perspective, not the only valid approach to chronic illness
- You will seek appropriate professional help if your condition worsens or if a crisis arises
9. Limitation of liability
To the maximum extent permitted by law, Return to Self is not liable for any harm, loss, or damage arising from your use of our content or Services, including any decision to delay, modify, or forgo medical or mental health care based on our content.
This limitation does not exclude rights you have under Australian Consumer Law or applicable consumer protection laws that cannot be excluded.
10. Contact
If you have questions about this disclaimer:
Return to Self Email: hello@returntotrueself.co Based in: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia