Raquel Leviss had an epiphany during her stay in a mental health facility ... she is going back to her birth name, and the reason is deeply rooted in her therapy.
Sources with direct knowledge tell TMZ ... the "Vanderpump Rules" star was very upset her haters in the wake of Scandavol began calling her by her birth name, Rachel.
Although that's her government name, her friends and family began calling her Raquel at a very early age, and the name stuck.
We're told she's spent an enormous amount of time in therapy over the last few months, and her therapists explained to her ... her detractors had weaponized the name "Rachel" to hurt her. She came to realize, with the help of the therapists, that by taking the name back and embracing it ... she neutralized the people who used it as a weapon.
So, from this point on, she's Rachel.
Raquel Leviss Left Mental Health Facility a Week Ago
TMZ broke the story, Rachel left her mental health facility in Arizona last week ... with a staggering bill of $200K.
As we reported, Rachel has not yet signed on for Season 11 of 'VPR.' She's in negotiations with Bravo, and sources connected to her say what remains paramount in the negotiations and beyond is her mental health.
The rest of the cast has been shooting Season 11 for more than a week ... they all showed up to SUR in WeHo Tuesday night and there were fireworks.