Reality TV star Rachel "Raquel" Leviss offers an inside look at her challenging yet transformative time in rehab and personal growth following the infamous 'Scandoval.'
- Jun 22, 2024
AceShowbiz - Rachel "Raquel" Leviss, a familiar face from the hit reality series "Vanderpump Rules", has recently shared details about her healing journey in rehab. On the latest episode of her podcast, "Rachel Goes Rogue", Leviss, 29, discussed the impactful activities designed to help her move past the scandalous affair with former costar Ariana Madix's boyfriend, Tom Sandoval, dubbed "Scandoval."
One pivotal assignment, termed the "shame backpack," became a cornerstone of her therapy. Leviss explained, "I was instructed to write down every mean thing that I could recall being thrown my way. All the insults, all the name calling, all the derogatory comments that I could remember."
Each written piece was compiled into a book, which she had to carry around. "It was very, very heavy," she noted. This physical representation of emotional burdens began to make sense as her therapist guided her through it.
Leviss recounted a critical moment during a therapy session when she had to read the collected comments. Her therapist then asked, "If I wanted to take them on and to carry them with me for the rest of my life," she shared. Leviss realized she did not want to hold onto those negative sentiments and was instructed to tear them up. This symbolic act marked a significant step in her healing process.
In a surreal twist of fate, a fellow resident handed her a newspaper featuring a headline about her affair with Sandoval, including a picture of Leviss and Madix. Reflecting on this coincidence, she said, "I actually had this in my shame backpack, and it's just so wild that it literally made its way into The Meadows [rehab facility]."
"This incident reiterated the importance of not absorbing external negativity and shame. "Life is much harder when you take that on," Leviss concluded.
A year after Scandoval, Leviss is moving forward. According to her publicist, she has been spending time with businessman Matthew Dunn. While it's too soon for labels, Leviss' social media glimpses, like a clip of them riding an ATV, hint at new beginnings. "More of this, please," she captioned.
