Britney Spears Reflected On Having “Healing To Do” After Conservatorship Change

A Sept. 29 hearing brought a win for Britney Spears in her conservatorship battle, but she still has “a lot of healing to do.” Three days after her father, Jamie Spears, was officially suspended as conservator of her estate, the singer shared some reflections on Instagram. Spears got candid about where she is emotionally right now and what the future may hold for her.

“Although there is change and things to celebrate in my life, I still have a lot of healing to do,” she wrote. “Thankfully I have a good support system and am taking time to understand it’s ok to slow down and breathe … Only through self love I can pray … love … and support others in return !!!!”

Spears has posted frequently since her hearing, which was more than 13 years in the making. In a Sept. 29 post that documented her first time flying in a propeller plane, she described herself as “on cloud 9 right now.” The next day, she posted a video taken in a tropical location, writing, “A beautiful day here in paradise celebrating,” alongside three emojis and six exclamation points. She captioned another video, “Having the time of my life here,” and also shared a peek at her workouts, the scenery, and a casual carousel of naked photos.

For years, Spears largely kept her thoughts on her conservatorship to herself. However, that changed dramatically on June 23, when she testified in court about her controversial legal arrangement for the first time. The pop star had formally requested that Jamie step down from his role in March, and she detailed why in the June hearing. “I truly believe this conservatorship is abusive,” she said. She also claimed “he loved the control he had over me, 100,000%.” For his part, Jamie had defended his refusal to step down, with his lawyer Vivian L. Theoreen saying on Good Morning America in February that he “serves as Britney’s conservator because he loves her.”

The #FreeBritney movement gained a surge of support in February, after the release of the New York Times Presents documentary Framing Britney Spears, which was then bolstered by the star breaking her silence four months later. Amid the backlash, Jamie did finally agree to step down. He filed his resignation on Aug. 12, albeit with his legal team maintaining that there were “no actual grounds” for his removal. In the Sept. 29 hearing, Judge Brenda Penny called the suspension of Jamie as Spears’ conservator “in the best interest of the conservatee.” Stepping into his shoes (at least for now) is John Zabel, a certified public accountant reportedly suggested by Spears’ lawyer.