Growing up, Rachel (Ruchi) Lebowitz felt misunderstood and unheard. She struggled both at home and in school, secretly harming herself and, in her own words, attempting to make herself “smaller.”

When Ruchi got married, she thought she’d “made it.” It quickly became apparent, however, that her husband had a serious gambling addiction. In addition to the problems his addiction inflicted on their marriage, they two could barely stay afloat financially.

As Ruchi sought help for her husband’s addiction, she discovered that she struggled with codependency, feelings of low self-worth, and more. Instead of placing the blame solely on her husband, she learned that she had to focus on growing and repairing herself, first.

After years of therapy and work, Ruchi and her husband gained the tools they needed in order to grow, heal, and ultimately build a strong marriage.

“The beauty of growth is that once you get over the big, painful jump, growth becomes something subtle, painless, and beautiful. The healthier you become, the easier the growth and change become, too,” Ruchi shares.

Neshamos.org would like to wish Ruchi and her husband a warm Mazal Tov on the birth of their son, Gaddy, who was born just after this podcast was recorded.