Terms of Use

Last Updated: April 2026

Welcome to creatingourownlight.com. These Terms of Use govern your access to and use of our website, content, products, and services provided by Creating Our Own Light. By accessing or using our site, you agree to be bound by these Terms. Please read them carefully.

Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using the website, purchasing our books, registering for events, or engaging with our content, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with any part of these terms, you must not use our site or services.

Intellectual Property Rights

All content on this site — including but not limited to text, graphics, logos, images, audio clips, digital downloads, data compilations, and book excerpts — is the property of Creating Our Own Light, Dr. Julie McDonnell, or its content suppliers and is protected by United States and international copyright laws.

The trademarks, logos, and service marks displayed on the site are registered and unregistered trademarks of Creating Our Own Light. Nothing contained on this site should be construed as granting any license or right to use any trademark without our prior written permission.

Permitted Use of Content

We grant you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable license to access and use the site for your personal, non-commercial purposes. You may read, download, and print materials from the site strictly for your personal use, provided you do not modify the content or remove any copyright or trademark notices.

You may not reproduce, distribute, publicly display, perform, or otherwise use any of the content for any public or commercial purpose without our express written consent.

User-Generated Content

If you submit comments, reviews, feedback, or other content to the site, you grant us a non-exclusive, royalty-free, perpetual, and irrevocable right to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, translate, and display such content throughout the world in any media.

You agree not to post any content that is unlawful, defamatory, abusive, obscene, or otherwise objectionable, or that infringes on the intellectual property rights of others. We reserve the right, but not the obligation, to monitor, edit, or remove any user-generated content at our sole discretion.

Purchases and Refunds

When you purchase books or other products through our site, you agree to provide current, complete, and accurate purchase and account information. We reserve the right to refuse or cancel any order for any reason, including limitations on quantities available for purchase, inaccuracies in product or pricing information, or problems identified by our payment processors.

Refunds and returns are handled on a case-by-case basis. If you receive a defective or damaged product, please contact us within 14 days of receipt for a replacement or refund.

Third-Party Links

Our site may contain links to third-party websites or services that are not owned or controlled by Creating Our Own Light. We have no control over, and assume no responsibility for, the content, privacy policies, or practices of any third-party sites. You acknowledge and agree that we shall not be responsible or liable for any damage or loss caused by your use of any such content or services available on or through any such websites.

Disclaimer of Warranties

The site and all content, products, and services provided through it are provided on an “as is” and “as available” basis. Creating Our Own Light makes no representations or warranties of any kind, express or implied, as to the operation of the site or the information, content, materials, or products included on it.

While Dr. Julie McDonnell shares insights on children’s emotional wellbeing and social-emotional learning, the content on this site is for informational and inspirational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical, psychological, or therapeutic advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, Creating Our Own Light and Dr. Julie McDonnell shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, or any loss of profits or revenues, whether incurred directly or indirectly, or any loss of data, use, goodwill, or other intangible losses, resulting from your access to or use of or inability to access or use the site or services.

Governing Law

These Terms of Use and any separate agreements whereby we provide you services shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Missouri, United States, without regard to its conflict of law provisions.

Changes to These Terms

We reserve the right, at our sole discretion, to update, change, or replace any part of these Terms of Use by posting updates and changes to our website. It is your responsibility to check our website periodically for changes. Your continued use of or access to our website following the posting of any changes to these Terms of Use constitutes acceptance of those changes.