Community Guidelines, Copyrights & Disclaimers
Our Values
This is a creative sanctuary for women with rare immune diseases and their caregivers. It’s a place to develop a creative practice that facilitates healing, self-expression, wellbeing and social connection. Here, we honor the wisdom of lived experience, the power of quiet creativity, and the many ways our bodies speak.
These guidelines are here to protect that space. They’re not rules to restrict you, but invitations to co-create a community rooted in care, respect, playfulness, and curiosity. We believe in gentle boundaries, brave expression, and the kind of support that doesn’t need fixing—just witnessing.
1. Lived Experience is Sacred
We believe you. You don’t need to prove your illness or justify your story. No gaslighting, questioning, or minimizing others’ experiences will be tolerated. Flare-ups and unexpected symptoms are part of our lives—and they may show up in our art, our timing, or our conversations. That’s welcome here.
2. This is Not a Medical Forum
We’re here to develop a creative practice and explore how it supports healing—not to compare symptoms or crowdsource diagnoses. Please avoid chats like “Does anyone else have this?” or “What meds are you on?” There are other spaces for that (check out the many Facebook groups). This space is for developing a creative practice that helps us walk beside the uncertainty of chronic illness and find our own wellbeing.
3. Art Over Algorithms
We value process over perfection. Share your creative practice, whether that’s visual, kinetic, musical, written or spoken. We especially want to see your messy process. This is a judgment-free zone for artistic exploration. Your creative expression doesn’t need to be polished to be powerful.
4. Respectful Political Awareness
Chronic illness is political. From access to care to gender bias in medicine and research to research funding—our lives are shaped by systems. Political discussion is welcome when it connects to our lived experience, but it must remain respectful, inclusive, and rooted in shared humanity regardless of gender orientation, race, ethnicity, religion or any of the many other identities we have.
5. Edge of Science
Science is real, and vaccines work. We honor the rigor of clinical research—and we also recognize that healing can happen in ways science is only beginning to understand. Studies support the health benefits of yoga, the arts, acupuncture, and forest bathing, especially for chronic illness.
Here, we recognize that our bodies often live just beyond the edge of current medical scientific knowledge. We hold space for allopathic, naturopathic, osteopathic, and other forms of knowing. What we don’t hold space for is misinformation—especially when it puts vulnerable people like us at risk.
6. No “Fixing” Each Other
Support means listening, witnessing, and encouraging—not correcting, rescuing, judging or offering unsolicited advice. We trust each person to know what they need. Let’s hold space, not solutions.
7. Caregivers Welcome
Caregivers are part of this journey too. Their perspectives and emotional labor matter. We honor their presence and invite them to share, listen, and create alongside us.
8. Be Kind, Be Curious
Ask questions with curiosity, not judgment. Assume good intent. If someone oversteps these guidelines, call them in—not out. We’re all learning how to live and create in these bodies. And remember, there are no art “mistakes” –those are just design decisions and serendipity.
Confidentiality and Consent
At Crooked Path Studio, we are committed to creating a space that is safe, inclusive, and respectful. Because our programs often involve personal reflection, emotional expression, and discussion of health-related experiences, we ask all participants to honor the following confidentiality guidelines:
What We Commit To
We do not record or share personal stories, artwork, or conversations outside of the group setting without consent from the individual.
Facilitators do not offer unsolicited advice or clinical interpretation.
We do not judge anyone’s artwork, process, or personal experiences.
We respect the privacy of all participants and will never disclose identifying information without their consent.
We maintain confidentiality unless legally required to report (e.g., risk of harm, abuse, or court subpoena).
What We Ask of You
Please keep confidential anything shared by other participants, including stories, reactions, health status, and artwork.
Do not share identifying details about fellow participants outside the group.
Respect that some people may want privacy, especially when discussing health or trauma.
Avoid giving unsolicited advice or interpreting someone else’s experience.
Honor each person’s right to share—or not share—at their own comfort level.
If you feel overwhelmed or triggered, you are encouraged to take a break and notify me, and reach out to a licensed professional.
HIPAA & Health Information
Crooked Path Studios is not a HIPAA-covered entity, but we treat all health-related disclosures with the same level of care and discretion. We do not collect or store protected health information (PHI), and we encourage participants to share only what feels safe and appropriate in a non-clinical, creative setting.
Copyright
All artwork, images, and creative content shared by Crooked Path Studios, including but not limited to digital downloads, posts, workshop materials, photos, videos, audio, and social media content, are the intellectual property of Kelly Feltault unless otherwise credited. These works are protected under U.S. and international copyright laws.
Unauthorized reproduction, distribution, or use of these materials—including reposting images without permission—is strictly prohibited. Sharing is welcome when done respectfully and with proper credit. Please contact us for licensing inquiries or permissions.
Similarly, all artwork, writing, narratives, movement, and music created by participants during Crooked Path Studios workshops, events, or shared in community spaces (including Zoom, Substack, and social media) remains the intellectual property of the individual artist.
Participants are expected to respect the privacy and ownership of others’ creative work. Do not copy, photograph, screenshot, or share another participant’s artwork or personal story without their explicit written permission. This includes digital images, spoken reflections, and written contributions.
Crooked Path Studios does not claim ownership of participant artwork and will never use it for promotional purposes without written consent from the artist.
Disclaimers
The content, services, workshops, events, subscription boxes, and digital materials provided by Crooked Path Studios are intended for personal enrichment, creative exploration, and general wellness. These offerings are designed to support self-expression, community connection, and emotional wellbeing through the arts. However, they are not a substitute for professional medical, psychological, psychiatric, or therapeutic advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
While some programs may incorporate principles inspired by art therapy, Crooked Path Studios does not provide licensed art therapy services, nor do our facilitators act as licensed mental health professionals. Participation in any program does not establish a therapeutic relationship, and no clinical outcomes should be expected or implied.
Our offerings may include discussions or creative prompts that touch on sensitive topics such as trauma, grief, chronic illness, or emotional challenges related to chronic illness. These are intended to foster reflection and creative engagement, not to diagnose or treat any condition. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis or require clinical support, we strongly encourage you to seek help from a qualified healthcare provider or licensed therapist in your area or online.
All participants engage in our programs voluntarily and at their own discretion. We encourage individuals to honor their own boundaries and participate at a level that feels safe and appropriate. Outcomes from creative exercises may vary, and no specific results are guaranteed.
The materials provided—whether physical (e.g., art supplies) or digital (e.g., downloads, videos, blog posts)—are for informational and inspirational purposes only. Any recommendations, techniques, or product suggestions are offered in good faith but should be evaluated by the user for personal suitability, especially in cases involving allergies, sensitivities, or chronic health conditions.
Crooked Path Studios is not liable for any physical, emotional, psychological, or financial outcomes resulting from participation in our programs, use of our materials, or engagement with our community spaces (including online platforms such as Substack, Zoom events, or social media). By accessing our services, you acknowledge and accept these terms and assume full responsibility for your participation and behavior.
If you have questions about whether our offerings are appropriate for your needs, we encourage you to reach out to us for a conversation or consult with a licensed professional before participating.