Following a Tumultuous Year Owing to Scandoval, Rachel Leviss Vows to Be a ‘Better Friend’ in 2024

Rachel Leviss is moving into the next year with a clearer mind and a clean slate. Now, Leviss is prepared to move past the 'Scandoval' year. The Vanderpump Rules alum welcomed 2024 with an open and honest Instagram post discussing the turmoil that ensued after she was discovered to have been engaging in an affair with co-star Tom Sandoval, breaking the latter's nine-year romance with Leviss's close friend Ariana Madix.

“2023 hands down has been the hardest year yet,” Leviss wrote candidly, opening up about her hardships along with a beautiful photo of herself. “My life had become completely unmanageable, and I was so far down the rabbit hole of making bad decisions that I NEEDED help,” she opened up. Leviss left the Bravo reality show earlier this year to undergo a months-long mental health treatment program, which she had previously disclosed was for therapy for love addiction. “I’m so blessed I was able to get the help I needed," she expressed gratitude. "Now, I finally feel like I’m seeing the light at the end of the tunnel."

Before that, Leviss had one of her final public appearances at the Vanderpump Rules season 10 reunion, when she finally saw her co-stars again after the cheating scandal, reports People. Among them was Sandoval's ex-girlfriend, Madix, somebody who bore intense feelings towards her. Leviss, in her post, continued by thanking her supporters and sharing her intentions for the upcoming year. "As we set intentions into the new year, I vow to be a better friend to the ones close in my life," said Leviss. "To those who have stood by me through my darkest days, I will always remember and cherish you." Leviss expressed thanks for the year ahead. "Eternally grateful for a second chance," wrote Leviss. "Here’s to an epic 2024!”

Having received mental healthcare and feeling better healed after leaving the show, she has returned to the red carpet and started a podcast called Rachel Goes Rogue. In a press release to People, Leviss said how her podcast will "explore a spectrum of topics, mastering self-empowerment and navigating life's challenges with grace and authenticity" and how, during a "tumultuous year of intense public scrutiny," she has "emerged resilient and committed to personal growth."

“I look back at season 10. Oh God, it was a really difficult season to watch back because I'm just cringing at all of the things and all of the moments that they caught on camera," she said in the debut episode. "It's embarrassing. But I see a girl that is going through pain and doesn't have the right tools to tackle it, and she's coping, and the way that she feels like her needs are being met is by someone who's giving her adoration and attention," Leviss added. "I did not prioritize my friendships when I got involved with Tom, and I regret that a lot."