Disclaimer

Educational purpose only

Elemental Recovery is an educational and self-guided curriculum intended for general informational and personal-development purposes only. It is not medical advice, mental health treatment, recovery services, psychotherapy, counseling, diagnosis, or a substitute for any of the foregoing. The authors, Dr. Ryan Joseph Allen and William Robert Dawson, are not, by virtue of authoring this work, acting as the reader’s physician, therapist, counselor, recovery specialist, or treatment provider, and no such professional relationship is created by the purchase, receipt, reading, or use of this material.

Consult qualified professionals

Substance use disorder, trauma, and co-occurring mental health conditions are serious, potentially life-threatening conditions that require individualized evaluation and care from qualified, licensed professionals. Before beginning this curriculum, and at any point while using it, you should consult a physician, licensed therapist, psychiatrist, recovery professional, or other qualified healthcare provider regarding your specific circumstances.

Never delay, disregard, discontinue, or alter any medical treatment, prescribed medication, or professional care as a result of anything you read here. If you are working with a clinician, therapist, counselor, physician, sponsor, or care team, tell them you are using this material and follow their guidance.

In an emergency

If you or someone you know is in crisis, experiencing a medical or psychiatric emergency, having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, or experiencing a medical emergency related to substance use, call 911 or your local emergency number immediately. In the United States, contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988. Outside the United States, contact your local emergency services or a local crisis line.

See all crisis resources

No guarantee of outcome

Recovery is a highly individual process influenced by factors outside the scope of any curriculum, including a person’s medical history, mental health status, environment, support system, and adherence to professional treatment. The authors make no representations, warranties, or guarantees, express or implied, regarding the results, outcomes, or effectiveness of this curriculum for any individual, and specifically disclaim any warranty of fitness for a particular purpose or merchantability.

Assumption of risk

By reading, downloading, or otherwise using this curriculum, you voluntarily assume all risk associated with its use, including any physical, emotional or financial outcome, whether foreseeable or unforeseeable, arising from participation in the exercises, practices, reflections, or recommendations contained within it.

The curriculum includes physical practices such as breathwork, movement, and time outdoors. Participate only within your own physical limits. Consult a physician before beginning any new physical or breathing practice, particularly if you are pregnant or have a cardiovascular or respiratory condition, a seizure disorder, a history of fainting, or high or low blood pressure. Stop immediately if you feel unwell.

Emotional material

Some content touches on loss, family relationships, and spiritual or religious hurt. This material can bring up strong feelings. You may skip, pause, or leave any part of the curriculum at any time, and you are encouraged to do so if you need to.

Limitation of liability and release

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law in every U.S. state and territory and in every country in which this work is distributed, sold, or accessed, the authors, together with their heirs, agents, employees, successors, assigns, and any affiliated entity, shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential, exemplary, or punitive damages of any kind — including but not limited to personal injury, emotional distress, loss of income, or death — arising out of or in any way connected to the use of, reliance upon, or inability to use this curriculum, whether such claim is based in contract, tort including negligence, strict liability, statute, or any other legal theory, even if advised of the possibility of such damages.

You release, discharge, and hold harmless the authors and affiliated entities from any and all claims, demands, causes of action, liabilities, and damages of any kind, known or unknown, arising from or related to use of this material. Where any applicable jurisdiction does not permit the exclusion or limitation of certain damages or warranties, the above limitations apply only to the maximum extent permitted by law in that jurisdiction, and all other provisions remain in full force and effect.

Indemnification

You agree to indemnify and hold harmless the authors and their affiliated entities from any third-party claim arising out of your use or misuse of this curriculum, including any sharing of its content or exercises with others in a facilitative, coaching, or clinical capacity.

Jurisdiction and international use

This disclaimer is intended to apply with the broadest permissible effect in all fifty U.S. states, U.S. territories, and internationally, wherever this material is sold, downloaded, or read. Laws governing liability waivers, limitation of liability, and consumer protection vary by state and by country; if any provision is found unenforceable in a given jurisdiction, that provision shall be enforced to the maximum extent permitted there, and the remaining provisions shall remain in full effect. Readers outside the United States are encouraged to seek locally licensed medical, psychiatric, and recovery professionals, as the practices described here reference U.S.-based frameworks and resources that may not directly translate to local healthcare systems.

No attorney-client or professional relationship

Nothing here creates an attorney-client, physician-patient, therapist-client, or any other licensed professional relationship between the authors and you.

The resource directory

Listings are provided as information only. We do not operate, endorse, recommend, vet, license, or guarantee any organization in the directory, and we are not responsible for the services they provide or fail to provide. Hours, eligibility, availability, and contact details change without notice, and some listings are unverified. Verify before you travel, and call ahead where you can.

Third-party material

We reference work by others, including The Four Agreements by don Miguel Ruiz, the Trait-Based Model of Recovery by Dr. Jason Roop, and adult development research by Dr. Jan Sinnott, along with supplemental books, films, and podcasts recommended throughout the curriculum. These references are educational. Elemental Recovery is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by these authors, creators, or their publishers, and any views we express are our own.

Acceptance

By continuing to use this website, the app, or any of our materials, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this disclaimer and voluntarily agree to its terms.

If you need help now

• Immediate danger: call 911
• Crisis: call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline)
• Text support: text HOME to 741741
• Substance use and mental health referrals: 1-800-662-4357 (SAMHSA, 24/7, free, confidential)

Adapted for the web from the disclaimer in Elemental Recovery: A 365-Day Curriculum for Substance Use Disorder and Trauma Recovery (ISBN 979-8-234-19990-4). Have counsel confirm this web adaptation — the affiliated-entity names in the printed version were omitted here and should be reviewed.