Disclaimer
1. About this Disclaimer
This Disclaimer applies to education, information, tools, resources and practices provided by The Simplified Self through our website, blog, emails, social media, downloadable Digital Products, audio, video, courses and other content. Please read it together with our Website Terms of Use, Terms of Sale, Privacy Policy and Refund Policy, where relevant. The Simplified Self is operated by:
Chloe Newson trading as The Simplified Self
ABN: 40 798 146 686
Email: admin@thesimplifiedself.com
Post: PO Box 7034, Warrnambool VIC 3280, Australia
In this Disclaimer, The Simplified Self, TSS, we, us and our mean Chloe Newson trading as The Simplified Self.
2. Education, not clinical care
The Simplified Self provides general wellbeing education, information, tools and self-guided practices.
Our content is not:
therapy or psychotherapy;
counselling;
psychology services;
medical or psychiatric care;
diagnosis, assessment or screening;
individual treatment or treatment planning;
crisis intervention; or
a substitute for professional healthcare or mental health support.
TSS content may support greater understanding, reflection, self-awareness and the exploration of gentle wellbeing practices. It is not designed to diagnose, treat, cure or manage a physical or mental health condition.
3. About Chloe and her role
The Simplified Self was founded by Chloe Newson. Chloe has a background in psychology and internationally recognised certifications in somatic coaching, breathwork practice, meditation coaching, and is polyvagal-informed, with more than ten years of professional client experience. Chloe is not a registered psychologist or a registered counsellor. Her education, training, professional experience and lived experience inform the educational content she creates. They do not turn general TSS content into individual assessment, treatment or professional healthcare. The Simplified Self does not provide psychology services, counselling, therapy or medical treatment.
4. No professional care relationship
Accessing our website, joining our email list, purchasing or using a Digital Product, completing a check-in, or contacting The Simplified Self does not create a psychologist-client, therapist-client, counsellor-client, doctor-patient, coaching or other professional care relationship. We cannot assess your individual health, circumstances or needs through general educational content. We also cannot provide diagnosis, individual treatment planning, clinical monitoring or crisis support through customer-service emails, social media messages or Digital Products. If you need individual professional support, please contact an appropriately qualified professional who can consider your circumstances directly.
5. Your circumstances matter
People bring different bodies, health histories, environments, sensory needs, preferences, levels of capacity and life circumstances to a practice. Something one person finds settling may feel neutral, uncomfortable, activating or simply unhelpful to someone else. You can skip, shorten, adapt or stop a self-guided practice. Stopping is always an available option. If you are unsure whether a practice is appropriate because of a health condition, pregnancy, injury, medication, previous adverse response or advice you have received from a health professional, seek appropriate individual guidance before continuing.
6. Specific product and practice safety information
Some TSS resources contain additional safety information, precautions, adaptations or instructions that relate to the particular practice being offered. Please read that information before beginning the practice and follow it alongside this Disclaimer. Where product-specific safety guidance is more cautious than this general Disclaimer, follow the product-specific guidance. Most TSS Digital Products are self-guided or recorded. Unless we expressly say otherwise, no facilitator or health professional is monitoring you while you use them. TSS cannot observe your response, assess symptoms in real time, physically assist you or arrange local assistance if something goes wrong. If you are unsure whether a practice is suitable for your circumstances, pause and seek appropriate individual advice before continuing.
7. Symptoms and nervous system education
TSS uses nervous system education to help make everyday experiences easier to understand. Human behaviour, emotions and physical sensations are complex. They can be influenced by health, sleep, relationships, environment, sensory load, learning history, current circumstances and many other factors.
We do not assume that every difficult experience is caused by "nervous system dysregulation". Physical symptoms can also have medical or other causes.
Pain, breathlessness, dizziness, palpitations, fatigue, sleep changes, digestive changes or other symptoms should not automatically be interpreted as signs of nervous system dysregulation, stress or an emotional response. Persistent, unexplained, severe or concerning symptoms deserve appropriate health assessment. TSS also does not claim that a healthy nervous system should remain calm all the time. Mobilisation, activation, rest and shifts in state can all form part of normal human functioning. The aim of nervous system education is greater understanding and choice, not constant self-monitoring or diagnosing your body.
8. Check-ins and reflective tools are not diagnostic tests
TSS may discuss experiences such as tension, changes in sleep, racing thoughts, irritability, overwhelm, fatigue or difficulty concentrating. These examples are provided for education and reflection. They do not mean that you have a particular diagnosis, mental health condition or nervous system state. A TSS check-in, worksheet, quiz, reflection exercise, score or category is not a diagnostic test, clinical assessment or screening instrument. Any result should be understood as an educational prompt that may help you notice patterns or consider what support feels useful. It does not establish why you are experiencing a symptom or what treatment, if any, you need.
9. Polyvagal Theory and explanatory models
Some TSS content uses ideas informed by Polyvagal Theory. Polyvagal Theory is an influential theoretical model for understanding how physiological state may relate to behaviour, emotion, connection and stress responses. Some aspects are consistent with broader understanding of autonomic physiology. Other proposed mechanisms and broader applications remain debated. TSS therefore presents Polyvagal Theory as one explanatory framework, not settled scientific fact, a diagnostic system or a complete explanation of human experience. Other psychological or wellbeing models discussed by TSS should also be understood according to the strength and status of the underlying evidence. A useful framework does not have to explain everything to offer something worth considering.
10. Evidence, accuracy and changing knowledge
We take reasonable care when researching, preparing and reviewing TSS content. Where appropriate, our work draws on research, established knowledge, professional education, recognised frameworks and Chloe's relevant training and experience. Evidence is not equally strong across every wellbeing practice.
Research may be limited to particular interventions or populations, and findings about one type of meditation, breathing practice or other intervention should not automatically be applied to every practice in that category. Scientific knowledge and professional guidance can also change over time. Unless a product expressly includes ongoing updates, purchasing or accessing it does not mean that every piece of information will be continuously updated indefinitely. Where we become aware of a material error in current content, we may correct or update it.
11. No guaranteed outcomes
People can respond differently to the same information or practice. We do not guarantee that a TSS resource will make you calmer, happier, more regulated, less anxious, more productive or produce another particular result. You might notice a helpful change, a small change, no noticeable change or discover that a particular practice is not a good fit for you. Descriptions such as "may help", "can support" or "designed to support" describe an intended purpose or possible experience. They are not promises of an individual outcome.
12. Breathwork and breathing practices
TSS may include gentle breath awareness, comfortable paced breathing or other low-intensity breathing practices. Our general self-guided breathwork content is intended to remain low intensity. TSS does not use general public-facing Digital Products to prescribe prolonged breath holds, rapid or connected hyperventilation, extreme breathing ratios or other high-intensity altered-state breathing practices. Deliberately changing breathing can affect physiology and can sometimes produce uncomfortable symptoms. Comfort comes before completing a particular count, ratio or number of repetitions. If a breathing pattern feels strained or uncomfortable, reduce the intensity or return to your natural breathing.
When to stop
Stop the breathing practice rather than pushing through if you experience:
chest pain;
fainting or near-fainting;
severe or worsening breathlessness;
confusion;
new neurological symptoms;
sustained palpitations;
seizure activity;
loss of responsiveness; or
panic or dissociation that you cannot readily orient out of.
Seek appropriate medical or emergency assistance where symptoms are serious, persist or concern you. Do not practise breathing exercises while driving, operating machinery, in water, at heights or during another activity where dizziness, reduced attention or losing balance could create danger. TSS does not interpret tingling, dizziness, crying, shaking, memories or emotional intensity as proof that trauma, toxins, blocked energy or "stored emotion" are being released. Breathing practices do not replace medical, respiratory, psychological or psychiatric care where that care is needed.
13. Meditation and mindfulness
Meditation and mindfulness are not universally calming or appropriate in every moment. Practices involving stillness, closed eyes, breath focus, imagery or inward attention may feel supportive for some people and uncomfortable or activating for others. You may keep your eyes open, move, orient to your surroundings, change your point of focus, shorten the practice or stop. Some people report difficult experiences associated with meditation or intensive inward attention. If a practice repeatedly increases distress, interferes with your functioning or brings up experiences you are struggling to manage, stop and consider seeking appropriate professional support. Strong emotional responses or vivid experiences should not automatically be interpreted as proof of healing or insight.
14. Body awareness, grounding and movement
TSS may include gentle grounding, sensory awareness, body awareness, self-touch or movement practices. These are educational wellbeing practices. They are not physiotherapy, rehabilitation, trauma treatment, body psychotherapy or medical exercise prescription. Body awareness can be useful for some people, but more internal attention is not always better. Focusing closely on sensations can sometimes intensify panic, pain, health anxiety, dissociation or traumatic re-experiencing. If inward attention feels unhelpful, you can shift towards an external anchor such as the room around you, sound, movement or another preferred focus. A bodily sensation is real as an experience, but its meaning is not always obvious. For example, a tight chest could have several possible explanations. A sensation alone cannot tell you whether its cause is emotional, medical or something else. Adapt or stop movement if you experience pain, dizziness, loss of balance or another concerning response. Where self-touch is suggested, it is always optional.
15. Difficult emotions, memories and trauma
Reflection, meditation, body awareness and other self-guided practices can sometimes bring attention to thoughts, sensations, emotions or memories that feel difficult. You do not have to continue an exercise because you started it. TSS does not ask you to deliberately relive traumatic events, recover traumatic memories or push through escalating distress in order to "heal". TSS content does not provide or simulate trauma processing or psychotherapy. Tears, shaking, numbness, imagery, memories or other intense experiences do not have one fixed psychological meaning and do not prove that trauma has been discharged or resolved. If something significant surfaces and feels difficult to manage on your own, stop the practice and consider reaching out to an appropriately qualified professional you trust.
16. Existing healthcare and treatment
TSS resources are designed to sit alongside appropriate professional care, never instead of it. If you are receiving medical, psychological, psychiatric or other professional support, TSS content does not replace the advice or treatment provided by a professional who understands your individual circumstances.
Do not stop medication, change prescribed treatment or disregard individual healthcare advice because of something you read, hear or try through The Simplified Self. Questions about medication or treatment should be discussed with the professional responsible for your care.
17. Crisis and urgent support
The Simplified Self is not a crisis service. Our email inbox, website forms and social media accounts are not monitored as emergency or crisis-support channels, and we cannot guarantee an immediate response. If you or another person may be in immediate danger, contact your local emergency services.
If you're struggling and need support:
Australia: Lifeline 13 11 14
United States and Canada: Call or text 988
Elsewhere: findahelpline.com can help you find support in your location.
18. Testimonials, reviews and individual experiences
Reviews, testimonials, comments and personal stories describe the experience of the individual who provided them. They do not guarantee that another person will have the same experience. Where someone describes feeling calmer, more understood or otherwise benefiting from a TSS resource, that is their individual experience. It should not be interpreted as evidence that a Digital Product diagnoses or treats a condition, or guarantees a health or wellbeing outcome. TSS does not present testimonials as proof of clinical effectiveness.
19. Third-party resources and affiliate links
TSS may refer or link to books, websites, products, services or other resources provided by third parties. A reference or link does not mean that The Simplified Self controls the third party or guarantees its content, availability, safety, suitability or privacy practices. Some links may be affiliate links. Where a material commercial relationship exists, we disclose it in connection with the relevant content. An affiliate recommendation is not medical advice or a guarantee that the product will be suitable for you.
20. Personal choice and reasonable use
TSS resources are intended to increase choice, not remove it. You are responsible for deciding whether and how to use general educational information, while taking account of your circumstances and any individual professional advice that applies to you. You do not need to push through discomfort, complete a practice or make a particular technique work. This section does not transfer to you responsibility for something that The Simplified Self is legally responsible for.
21. Liability and consumer rights
Nothing in this Disclaimer excludes, restricts or modifies any consumer guarantee, right, remedy or liability that cannot lawfully be excluded, restricted or modified. Nothing in this Disclaimer removes rights that may apply under the Australian Consumer Law or another applicable consumer protection law.
To the extent permitted by law, The Simplified Self is not responsible for loss or damage to the extent it is caused by circumstances for which we are not legally responsible, including using general educational content contrary to an express safety instruction or as a substitute for individual professional care.
A disclaimer cannot remove responsibility for misleading representations, failure to meet an applicable consumer guarantee or another matter for which The Simplified Self is legally responsible.
22. Adults only
The TSS website and Digital Products are intended for adults. They are not designed as wellbeing, psychological or educational resources for children. If information relating to a child or young person raises a medical, developmental, psychological or safety concern, seek appropriate professional advice.
23. Changes to this Disclaimer
We may update this Disclaimer when our content, Digital Products, practices or legal obligations change. The current version and effective date will be published on this page. Updating this Disclaimer does not retrospectively remove a consumer right or alter the contractual terms applying to a completed purchase.
24. Contact
If you have a question about this Disclaimer or the scope of TSS content, contact:
Chloe Newson trading as The Simplified Self
PO Box 7034
Warrnambool VIC 3280
Australia
Email: admin@thesimplifiedself.com
ABN 40 798 146 686
Version 1.0 | Effective 20 August 2026