Welcome back to Bewitched: Breaking the Spell After Spiritual Mentoring Goes Wrong.
In this episode, we sit down with Alicia Isaacs Howes, who bravely shares her journey of realizing the extent of a spiritual mentor’s influence over her life and reclaiming her own wisdom.
Alicia’s story spans more than a decade, from her initial admiration and deep investment in Betty’s teachings to the unsettling experiences that ultimately led her to break free.
Through this conversation, we explore:
✨ How Alicia first encountered Betty and became deeply involved in her mentorship
✨ The warning signs that were easy to dismiss at the time but became glaring in hindsight
✨ The psychological and emotional manipulation that kept her—and so many others—entangled
✨ The moment she realized she had been groomed and how that awareness shifted everything
✨ How ‘divide and conquer’ tactics were used to separate trusted leaders from their communities
✨ The breaking point in Croatia and the terrifying retreat that unraveled into paranoia, control, and energy siphoning
✨ What it took to finally walk away—and how Alicia makes sense of it all today
Alicia’s story is one of heartbreak and resilience, a testament to the power of trusting your own wisdom. We also reflect on the bigger picture—what these experiences reveal about spiritual leadership, authority, and the importance of discernment in the coaching and healing industries.
If this episode resonates with you, we’d love to hear from you. Join us for our weekly Instagram Live sessions after each episode, where we’ll continue the conversation, answer your questions, and hold space for your reflections.
📲 Connect with us on Instagram:
Robyn McKay → @robynmckayphd
Alyse Bacine → @alyse_breathes
🔗 Share this episode with someone who needs to hear it. The only way to truly break the spell is to bring the truth into the light.
✨ Thank you for being here. Let’s keep rewriting the story together. ✨
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