Britney Spears Calls DUI, Rehab a "Blessing in Disguise" After Probation Sentence

Britney Spears made her first public statement since a March DUI arrest resulted in a stay in a rehab facility. Though she did not specifically reference the case or her time in treatment, Spears, 44, was back on Instagram on Saturday (May 10) with a post alluding to recent headlines .

It opened with a story about going to a pet store with her kids to look at a baby snake — with a shot of a beautiful albino ball python wrapped around someone’s hand — before pivoting into a more personal tone. “Snakes are symbolic of good health, higher consciousness, and pure luck … I’m so damn thankful to my friends and so many new beautiful people I have met through my spiritual journey,” Spears said without going into detail about her journey.

“all a blessing in disguise,” she continued. “I still have to learn how to be kind to myself and the way I speak to myself… It’s a never ending journey and sometimes I just stop, look up and say wow God I think that was you and smile on!!!!”

TMZ reported last week that Spears recently left a rehab facility in Maine after spending around three weeks there following a probation sentence stemming from her plea deal in the March 4 DUI arrest Ventura County, Calif.

Spears got a year-long probation sentence on May 4 after pleading guilty through her attorney to a misdemeanor charge known as “wet reckless,” which is a downgrade from the more severe count of driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol due to her low blood alcohol level and lack of a prior DUI history. According to the  Associated Press , a prosecutor stated during the hearing that Spears had taken “full responsibility” for the incident. During her year of probation, Spears will have to participate in a DUI education program and continue regular therapy and psychiatry; Spears did not appear in court for the hearing.

Spears was arrested  on March 4 after the California Highway Patrol found her driving “erratically at a high rate of speed on southbound US-101.” At the time, her reps called the arrest an “unfortunate incident that is completely inexcusable,” adding that “Britney is going to take the right steps and comply with the law and hopefully this can be the first step in long overdue change that needs to occur in Britney’s life.”

The next month, the singer voluntarily checked herself into a treatment facility.

_Originally reported by [Billboard](https://www.billboard.com/music/pop/britney-spears-talks-spiritual-journey-following-dui-case-rehab-1236244082/)._