I met Rachel a few years ago in her workshop “Way to Relationship”. When I arrived, I honestly didn’t know what I was stepping into. My disability is invisible, and that always made things more complicated. People didn’t see the challenges I was dealing with, and after years of unsuccessful dating attempts and trying different types of therapy, I was already tired and discouraged.
I came into the room confused, unsure, and almost out of hope.
But something in the way Rachel spoke to me opened a new angle. She helped me look at relationships differently — with more understanding, more self-awareness, and much more possibility than I had ever allowed myself to imagine. Slowly, I started to feel stronger and more optimistic.
That was the beginning.
Later on, Rachel referred me to Adina for personal mentoring. That’s when the deeper growth really started. Little by little, old habits and communication patterns began to soften. I found myself taking off layers of protection I had built over the years. I learned how to talk about what I need, how to stay present in a conversation, and how to show my real self without fear.
We went through a lot of trial and error together — Rachel, Adina, and I. Different attempts at relationships, different lessons, different challenges. Every step moved me forward.
And then… I met Ahinoam . We met a year and a half ago.
In just two months she will be my wife.
From the beginning, I felt something different with her — calm, possible, right. But I want to be completely honest: without the mentoring, I don’t think we would have made it through the first year and a half. Not because we didn’t care about each other, but because we both needed tools, support, and guidance, and most of all, to have the courage to build this relationship, to understand ourselves and each other better. It was a long journey
Rachel was always there in a gentle, respectful way. Sometimes we did short communication exercises, sometimes we met for a couple’s check-in to help us see what we couldn’t see on our own. Everything was done with warmth, encouragement, and a deep belief in our ability to succeed as a couple.
And today, when I look at the level of communication, awareness, and consideration we have, even Rachel tells us that many couples married for twenty years never reach this level.
I’m sharing my story to help others who may be in the place I was in:
Don’t wait. Don’t hesitate.
If something in this speaks to you — reach out to Lavo B’tov for mentoring.
You don’t have to join a workshop to start.
Just begin with a conversation.
A safe space.
Someone who sees you.
For me, that simple first step changed everything — and led me to the partner I am about to marry.