Policies & Disclaimers

Who We Are

Our website address is: https://www.stepsstonesandsoul.com . This site is curated and maintained by Rich Liotta, Ph.D. — psychologist, writer, and guide in personal growth and soulful living.

Privacy Policy

When visitors leave comments on the site, we collect the data shown in the comments form, along with the visitor’s IP address and browser user agent string to help spam detection.

An anonymized string (a hash) may be shared with the Gravatar service to see if you’re using it. Their privacy policy is available here: https://automattic.com/privacy . After comment approval, your profile image may appear publicly next to your comment.

If you upload images, avoid including embedded location data (EXIF GPS), as others may download and extract this data.

Cookies

If you leave a comment, you may opt in to saving your name, email, and website in cookies for convenience. These last one year.

Additional cookies may be used for login, screen preferences, or post-editing. None of these store personal data beyond what you provide and consent to.

Embedded Content

Posts may include embedded content (videos, audio, articles, etc.). These act as if you’ve visited the originating site and may collect data, use cookies, or track you if you’re logged into those sites.

Data Retention and Rights

If you leave a comment, it and its metadata are stored indefinitely. Registered users (if any) can view, edit, or delete their personal data (excluding usernames). You may request an exported file of your data or ask us to delete it — subject to any legal or administrative obligations.

Spam Filtering

Visitor comments may be checked via automated spam detection services.

Disclaimer: Not Medical or Psychological Advice

While I am a licensed psychologist, the content on this website is for informational and reflective purposes only . It is not a substitute for professional psychological diagnosis, treatment, or individual therapy.

Nothing on this site is intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any condition or to serve as individualized therapeutic guidance. If you are struggling with a mental health issue, please consult a qualified health professional.

Self-Help, Soulfulness, and Personal Growth Content

All materials, including reflections, visual meditations, affirmations, or audio resources, are offered in the spirit of self-inquiry and personal development. You are solely responsible for how you interpret and use this material. Please use your own discernment and consult with professionals as needed.

Affiliate Disclosure (If Applicable in Future)

Some links on this site may be affiliate links, meaning we may earn a small commission at no cost to you if you make a purchase. Any such links are always to products or services I believe in and would recommend whether or not compensation is involved. (Currently, no affiliate relationships are active.)

Copyright and Content Usage

All written content, photos, and audio published on this site are the intellectual property of Rich Liotta, Ph.D. unless otherwise noted. Feel free to quote short passages (with attribution and a link), but please do not reproduce full articles, images, or audio without written permission.

For licensing or sharing inquiries, contact: rich@stepsstonesandsoul.com .

Questions or Concerns?

Transparency matters to me. If you have any concerns about how your data is used, or if you’d like to request clarification or permission for something, feel free to reach out.