Raquel Leviss has checked herself into a mental health treatment facility amid the aftermath of her cheating scandal with Tom Sandoval.
A rep for the Vanderpump Rules star, 28, confirmed to Us Weekly on Friday, April 14, that Leviss was in rehab, but not seeking help for substance abuse issues. “Raquel and her family decided before the relationship was discovered that she would enter a voluntary facility for mental health counseling,” a statement read. “Raquel had planned to admit herself before the VPR reunion was taped on March 23. She was scheduled to go in pre-reunion but decided she wanted to finish her filming commitment. Bravo and production were aware and in support of her journey towards better mental health.”
The California native’s decision comes one month after her affair with Sandoval, 40, made headlines. The Missouri native called it quits with Ariana Madix after nearly a decade of dating as a result of his infidelity.
Amid the drama, Leviss issued a public apology to Madix, writing via Instagram on March 8, “I want to apologize for my actions and my choices foremost to Ariana, and to my friends and the fans so invested in our relationships. There is no excuse, I am not a victim and I must own my actions and I deeply regret hurting Ariana.”
The former beauty pageant contestant said she was “speaking to a counselor” about her personal issues. “I have sought emotional validation through intimate connections that are not healthy without regard for my own well-being, sometimes negatively affecting others and often prioritizing the intimate connection over my friendships. I am taking steps to understand my behavior and make healthier choices,” she added.
After coming face-to-face with her costars for the reunion taping last month, Leviss and Sandoval were spotted spending time together on multiple occasions. The TomTom co-owner offered an update on where he and Leviss stand during a bombshell interview earlier this week.
“We’re really good friends. We are not putting any label on it,” he said during the Tuesday, April 11, episode of the “Howie Mandel Does Stuff” podcast.
Sandoval also recalled how his romance with Leviss originally started. “We just kissed. It was magnetic. I felt something that I hadn’t felt in so long emotionally,” he gushed about the August 2022 moment. “The feelings were something very, very strong. Those feelings that I had started to take over in a sense. Logic went out the window. Because I wasn’t experiencing that [with Ariana] — I hadn’t experienced that [before].”
The businessman claimed he tried to end his relationship with Madix as his feelings for Leviss grew. “Like many relationships, it felt like it became more of like a best friends, family [thing] — sometimes roommates,” he continued. “There were a lot of ways where the relationship was just lacking the intimacy, the connection. We would travel more by ourselves than we would together. I would go to weddings by myself.”
According to Sandoval, he remained in consistent contact with Leviss before coming clean to Madix. “I was seeing Raquel as often as I could. I know that sounds horrible,” he shared. “And FaceTiming her all the time. And Ariana didn’t even notice because that’s just how separate our lives were. I had to actually tell her, ‘How have you not noticed how distant I’ve been lately?'”
If you or someone you know is struggling with their mental health, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
