New Moon Coaching for Expat Women

In the world of Alix E. Harrow’s The Once and Future Witches, the three Eastwood sisters—James Juniper, Agnes Amaranth, and Beatrice Belladonna—embark on a quest to find the ‘lost magic of women’. What they discover is profound: the magic wasn’t destroyed by those who feared it; it was simply hidden.

As a coach, I often see clients who feel like the witches of New Salem: they know they possess a latent, fierce power, but society, history, or personal trauma have taught them to keep it small, tidy, and safe.

If you’re feeling like your inner fire has been reduced to a flickering candle, here are three coaching lessons inspired by this read, on how to reclaim your personal ‘witching’.

1. Harness Your Anger

James Juniper Eastwood is fueled by a burning-bright rage. In many cultures, women are taught that anger is unbecoming or destructive. But in coaching, we don’t fear that fire—we use it. Your anger is a high-octane fuel that, when channeled, provides the exact momentum needed to break through burnout and people-pleasing.

2. Magic is Found in the Mundane

In the novel, spells are hidden in the rhythm of a heartbeat or the lyrics of a lullaby. We often wait for a grand manifestation or a massive career shift to feel powerful, but true transformation is found in the micro-habits: the way you speak to yourself (words), the boundaries you set daily (ways), and your commitment to your vision (will) are the true spells that reshape your reality.

3. There is No Such Thing as a Solitary Witch

The sisters in the book are strongest when they unite, blending Beatrice’s wisdom, Agnes’s resilience, and Juniper’s fire. We are taught to find our way to the top in isolation, but true liberation is a collective effort: who is in your coven? Growth accelerates when you have a community—or a coach—to mirror your strength back to you when you’ve forgotten it.

Why this book?

If you haven’t read it yet, The Once and Future Witches is a stunning reimagining of the suffragette movement through a lens of folklore and sisterhood. It’s a reminder that even when our power is stripped away, it can never be fully erased—it just waits for us to remember the words.

What stories did you grow up with about what a woman ‘should’ be? Look for the gaps in the story. Often, the gaps are where your desire, your anger, or your unconventional ambitions were tucked away to keep the peace. List the parts of yourself that didn’t make it into the official biography you tell people at dinner parties or on LinkedIn.

What small, daily actions—your micro-habits—can you plant in those gaps to claim the territory? Share it in the comments.