RECOVERY BY CHOICE

A Science Driven Masterclass For Treating Addiction
Presented by BJ Davis, PsyD

June 1, 2025

wholehearted.org

Addiction is not a moral failing. It is a survival strategy born from pain. Recovery begins when we offer people something more powerful than shame–we offer them the chance to choose.

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RECOVERY BY CHOICE

A Science Driven Masterclass For Treating Addiction

Presented by Dr. BJ Davis

JUNE 1, 2025

At the heart of addiction treatment lies a profound struggle: the struggle between a client’s unmet needs and the behaviors adopted to ease pain. Wholehearted.org proudly presents Recovery By Choice: A Science-Driven Masterclass for Treating Addiction, an evidence-based professional development program designed to provide mental health and wellness professionals with transformative insights into treating addictive behaviors.

Science-Based. Client-Centered. Designed for Lasting Change.

"People do not destroy their lives because they want to suffer. They do it because even destruction can feel like survival when no other choices seem possible."

Dr. BJ Davis
  • PROGRAM DETAILS:
  • VIDEO
  • 313 Minutes
  • 9 Episodes
  • Additional Reading
  • Professional Development
  • Continuing Education
HOW TO WATCH
MEMBERSHIP
BUY COURSE
  • PROGRAM FOCUS:
  • SCIENCE-DRIVEN
  • ADDICTION TREATMENT
  • DAVIS MODEL
  • CHOICE THEORY
  • 5 BASIC NEEDS
  • QUALITY WORLD
  • TOTAL BEHAVIOR
  • CLIENT-CENTERED, CLIENT EMPOWERMENT
  • INTENDED AUDIENCE:
  • Mental Health Professionals
  • Social Workers, Therapists, Counselors
  • Wellness Professionals
  • Researchers
  • Coaches
  • Graduate Students

"When you meet the needs that addiction is trying to meet, you no longer need the addiction."

Dr. BJ Davis

PROGRAM DETAILS

Recovery By Choice Summary

Presented by BJ Davis, PsyD, this 9-part Wholehearted masterclass introduces The Davis Model: an evidence-based, client-centered approach to understanding and treating addiction.

Rooted in both lived experience and clinical expertise, Dr. Davis simplifies the complexities of addiction by reframing it not as a disease or a lifelong condition of powerlessness, but as a behavior driven by unmet needs. Often, addiction begins as a way to cope with pain when no other options feel available.

Throughout this masterclass, Dr. Davis shares a flexible and practical framework that helps clinicians meet clients where they are and guide them toward lasting, meaningful change. The Davis Model is measurable, adaptable, and grounded in human connection. It empowers professionals to help clients reclaim agency and take ownership of their recovery journey.

You’ll gain tools that support real-world application: from understanding The 5 Basic Needs and Total Behavior to using practical methods like the Four Questions and building a Quality World. Each concept is taught with clarity, compassion, and relevance to the day-to-day work of healing.

Dr. Davis has trained hundreds of professionals and helped thousands of individuals reclaim their lives. His personal journey through addiction and recovery brings a rare depth to his teaching, this is not theory at a distance, but wisdom earned and shared.

Free from dogma and grounded in empowerment, this masterclass offers a science-driven path forward in addiction treatment, one rooted in choice, dignity, and sustainable healing.

"Addiction is not a disease to be fought. It is a behavior to be understood. Recovery is not a surrender to powerlessness. It is a reclamation of choice."

- Dr. BJ Davis

YOU WILL LEARN

  • Rethinking the concept of addiction
  • The Five Basic Needs driving human behavior and their role in addiction.
  • The Quality World concept and how clients can learn to meet their Five Basic Needs.
  • The Four Questions of self-evaluation and behavioral change, guiding clients toward recovery through empowerment and personal choice.
  • The Four Components of Good Counseling, an essential framework for mental health professionals.
  • The Total Behavior concept, offering clients life-changing skills and education in self-compassion, understanding, and authentic change.
  • How to help clients choose recovery on their own terms, free from dogmatic interventions.
  • Why addiction is not a matter of choice, but recovery can be.
  • Empowerment through Behavioral Activation as the path to lasting recovery.
  • Why spiritual intervention and admitting powerlessness are not prerequisites for recovery.
  • Shifting from external control to internal empowerment
  • Behavior Activation and practical strategies for healing
  • Redefining accountability without shame
  • Helping clients reclaim power and responsibility
  • Plus many more tools, strategies, and guidance.

Dr. Davis' Teach Style

Dr. BJ Davis teaches with clarity, heart, love, and real-world wisdom. His style is science-driven, grounded, accessible, and deeply human, bridging lived experience with clinical expertise. He speaks directly to both the mind and the heart, offering practical tools without losing sight of the dignity and resilience of every client. Watching this Dr. Davis feels less like attending a lecture and more like being personally equipped by someone who truly understands the work and has been in your shoes.

OVERVIEW OF EPISODES

  • Part One: The Past Can Define You or Refine You

    • Recovery Through Choice: The Davis Model
    • 72 Minutes
    Meet Dr. BJ Davis as he presents his core belief; addiction is a behavior driven by unmet needs and recovery is possible by addressing these needs through behavioral change. The episode sets the stage for the rest of the series, focusing on practical approaches to addiction treatment that empower both counselors and clients.

  • Part Two: Myth Busting: Redefining Substance Abuse, Accountability, and Treatment

    • Recovery Through Choice: The Davis Model
    • 30 Minutes
    In Part Two Dr. Davis dives into misconceptions surrounding substance abuse counseling and the flawed practices that have historically stigmatized individuals struggling with addiction. He critiques the punitive approaches often adopted by criminal justice systems and treatment programs, challenging the traditional notions of accountability that can harm rather than heal. Dr. Davis advocates for a more compassionate, science-based method that treats addiction with the same respect and care as other behavioral health issues, focusing on empathy over punishment. This episode encourages addiction professionals to rethink how they approach relapse, accountability, and the role of self-help in the recovery journey.

  • Part Three: Beyond Diagnosis: Empowerment Through Choice

    • Recovery Through Choice: The Davis Model
    • 30 Minutes
    Part Three is a pivotal episode, where the foundational elements of his groundbreaking approach to addiction treatment, known as the Davis Model, is outlined. Rooted in the power of personal choice, Dr. Davis challenges the traditional disease model, advocating for a perspective that views addiction as a behavior that responds to motivation and intentional change. Through engaging examples, he illustrates the significance of meeting clients where they are and empowering them to take charge of their recovery. Dr. Davis emphasizes that recovery is not about external control but about helping individuals recognize their capacity for choice. By focusing on personal agency and behavioral change, this episode equips addiction counselors with the tools to guide clients toward self-directed transformation and lasting recovery.

  • Part Four: Motivated Behavior: The Five Basic Needs & The Quality World

    • Recovery Through Choice: The Davis Model
    • 39 Minutes
    In Part Four, Dr. Davis explores the core of Choice Theory by diving into Dr. William Glasser’s concept of the Quality World and the five basic needs that drive human behavior: survival, love and belonging, power, freedom, and fun. Dr. Davis explains how these needs, shaped by our life experiences, create a unique mental blueprint – the Quality World – that influences our every choice. With clarity and insight, Dr. Davis encourages counselors to teach clients about these needs openly, empowering individuals to recognize their unmet needs and the choices they are making to meet them. By understanding what truly drives us, clients can begin to shift behaviors, redefine their motivations, and reclaim control over their lives. This session offers practical tools for guiding clients toward making healthier, more fulfilling choices, ultimately helping them replace destructive patterns with actions that meet their needs in a sustainable way.

  • Part Five: Guiding Change: Demonstrating Choice, Motivated Behavior, and Quality World

    • Recovery Through Choice: The Davis Model
    • 21 Minutes
    In Part Five Dr. Davis takes the theoretical concepts of choice, motivated behavior, and the Quality World and brings them to life through a live demonstration. By working directly with a participant, Dr. Davis shows how counselors can practically apply the Davis Model in a real-world setting. This powerful session allows addiction counselors to observe the critical moments where clients make choices that affect their lives and outcomes. Dr. Davis highlights how reframing strategies and guiding behavior towards constructive choices can dramatically improve relationships with authority figures, such as social workers, and foster better long-term recovery outcomes. Through this demonstration, counselors gain invaluable insight into helping their clients reclaim control, meet their basic needs, and build a new path to recovery.

  • Part Six: Total Behavior: Integrating Choice, Counseling, and Change

    • Recovery Through Choice: The Davis Model
    • 15 Minutes
    In Part Six, Dr. BJ Davis integrates the key elements of the Davis Model, focusing on the concept of total behavior. Building on the foundational principles of choice, motivated behavior, and the Quality World, Dr. Davis explains how all these components come together in real-world counseling. He emphasizes the importance of addressing not only thoughts and feelings but also actions, which ultimately drive meaningful change. Through this session, counselors will learn how to apply these insights in practical ways, helping clients move beyond surface-level emotions to create lasting transformation. Dr. Davis also introduces core principles of effective counseling, offering actionable tools to enhance counselors’ philosophies and practices.

  • Part Seven: Reality Check: Aligning Expectations, Disparities, and Incentives

    • Recovery Through Choice: The Davis Model
    • 23 Minutes
    In Part Seven, Dr. BJ Davis unpacks the critical gap between expectations and reality in the recovery process. He explores how clients often have unrealistic expectations about recovery, which can lead to frustration and setbacks. Using practical examples, Dr. Davis emphasizes the importance of aligning expectations with realistic outcomes and the power of using incentives and pay-offs as motivational tools. He introduces the concept of “Living Between The Fives,” to help understand the extreme range of stimulation between drug using and everyday life. Dr. Davis shows how to shift away from unhealthy highs and lows towards balanced and sustainable change. By understanding total behavior and learning to manage their own choices, clients can navigate recovery with greater clarity and resilience, ultimately building a healthier, more fulfilling life. This episode provides valuable tools for counselors to guide clients through the ups and downs of recovery while keeping their expectations grounded in reality.

  • Part Eight: Mastering Recovery

    • Recovery Through Choice: The Davis Model
    • 45 Minutes
    In Part Eight, Dr. Davis introduces three critical concepts in the journey to recovery and personal empowerment: A client’s Compelling ‘Why’, The Four Questions of Behavior Modification, and Post-Acute Withdrawal Symptoms (PAWS). Dr. Davis guides viewers through the process of using the Four Questions to help clients explore their motivations and develop strategies for long-term behavioral change. By asking clients what they want, what they are currently doing, whether their approach is working, and what they are willing to do differently, counselors can empower them to make conscious choices that promote lasting recovery. Dr. Davis also provides a deep dive into PAWS, explaining how these symptoms can impact the recovery process and how to manage them effectively. He emphasizes the importance of staying busy and filling one’s “Quality World” with positive activities to mitigate cravings and prevent relapse. This session equips addiction counselors with the tools to guide their clients through both the psychological and physiological challenges of early recovery, helping them regain control of their lives and build a healthier future.

  • Part Nine: Counseling That Works

    • Recovery Through Choice: The Davis Model
    • 36 Minutes
    In the final episode, Dr. Davis brings together the essential elements of effective counseling, offering a comprehensive guide to integrating the Davis Model into practice. He outlines the four critical components that any successful treatment must include: education, individualized treatment, skill development, and practical application. Dr. Davis also introduces SAMIC, an actionable framework for creating treatment plans that are Simple, Attainable, Measurable, Immediate, and Committed, designed to help counselors empower their clients in recovery. By emphasizing the importance of skill-building, self-evaluation, and continuous practice, this episode equips addiction counselors with the tools to promote lasting change and guide clients through real-world challenges, ensuring they leave with actionable strategies to implement immediately.

BJ Davis, PsyD

Wholehearted Thought Leader
Professor of Psychology, Professor, Scientist

  • Notable Works:
  • Clinical Director Sacramento Recovery House
  • Director Strategies For Change
  • Creator of the Davis Model for Addiction Treatment
  • Mass Media:
  • Recovery By Choice
  • Choosing Recovery (Summer 2025)
  • TEDx: Freedom from Self-Doubt

ABOUT THE PRESENTER

“There is no brokenness so deep that it cannot be met with choice, responsibility, and hope.”

 

Dr. BJ Davis, PsyD, is a clinical psychologist, educator, and advocate for transformative approaches to addiction recovery and mental health. His work bridges the gap between lived experience and professional practice, offering a rare and powerful perspective on healing, change, and empowerment.

Dr. Davis’s journey into the field of psychology did not begin in a classroom. It began in a jail cell. After facing his own battles with addiction and incarceration as a young man, Dr. Davis made the profound choice to reclaim his life. Through the difficult process of self-evaluation, education, and healing, he rose from the depths of despair to eventually earn a doctorate in psychology. His personal journey is not just a story of survival; it is the foundation of a philosophy that underlies all his work: change is possible when individuals reclaim their power to choose.

Drawing from both clinical science and personal insight, Dr. Davis developed the Davis Model, a science-driven, client-centered framework for understanding and treating addiction. At the core of his model is the recognition that addiction is not a moral failing or a genetic inevitability, but a behavior, an attempt to meet basic universal human needs for survival, belonging, power, freedom, and fun. True recovery, according to Dr. Davis, begins when individuals are empowered to meet these needs in effective, more sustainable ways.

Throughout his career, Dr. Davis has worked in correctional facilities, treatment centers, and clinical practice, bringing his compassionate yet practical approach to individuals often overlooked or written off by traditional systems of care. His work challenges the outdated notion of “powerlessness” in recovery, offering instead a vision of healing grounded in internal control, personal responsibility, and the possibility of becoming recovered.

In his groundbreaking masterclass, Recovery By Choice, Dr. Davis trains mental health professionals, addiction counselors, and healthcare providers in applying these principles in real-world settings with tools that foster genuine, lasting transformation.

More than a clinician or a theorist, Dr. Davis is a teacher of possibility. He challenges professionals not just to treat symptoms but to honor the full humanity of the people they serve, to see behaviors as the language of unmet needs, and to guide clients toward building lives worth recovering for.

Today, through his work with Wholehearted.org, Dr. Davis continues to inspire a new generation of healers. His message is simple but profound: Addiction is not a choice, but recovery is. And when we meet people where they are, honor their needs, and nurture their ability to choose differently, we help unlock the extraordinary resilience that lives within every person.

More About BJ

Join a new movement in addiction recovery. Learn how to help clients reclaim their power, meet their needs, and build lives worth living.

HOW TO WATCH
MEMBERSHIP
BUY COURSE

Additional Details & FAQ

A: Great question! We offer two ways to access our programs to make them more accessible and flexible:

Buy Course:
You can purchase this course as a one-time standalone purchase. Once you buy it, it’s yours. You’ll have unlimited access to the full video program—watch it whenever you like, as many times as you like. No membership or recurring fee required.

Professional Membership:
Wholehearted’s annual Professional Membership gives you streaming access to all of our professional and self-help programs while your membership is active. You’ll also get access to new programs as they’re released, plus added benefits like:

  • Free tickets to select live events
  • Discounts on books and materials
  • Exclusive bonus content and member-only program libraries

Additional Details:

  • All course purchasers receive access to the full video program and select learning resources, including readings, key takeaways, and action items.
  • Professional Members may request access to these resources while we’re transitioning platforms.
  • By the end of 2025, all programs—whether purchased or viewed through membership—will include the same comprehensive support materials in a unified platform.

A: This course is created for mental health professionals, substance use disorder counselors, social workers, psychologists, behavioral health specialists, and healthcare providers working with individuals impacted by addiction. It is designed to offer practical, science-based tools that can be immediately applied in clinical practice.

A: Yes. The Recovery By Choice masterclass provides foundational concepts, practical frameworks, and real-world strategies that are valuable for both seasoned professionals and those early in their career.

A: You will learn the Davis Model for addiction recovery, including Total Behavior theory, the Five Basic Needs, the Four Questions method for self-evaluation, how to help clients build a Quality World to encourage recovery, strategies for supporting clients through Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome (P.A.W.S.), and essential tools rooted in client empowerment and personal agency.

A: Recovery By Choice moves beyond the traditional powerlessness or disease models of addiction. It emphasizes empowerment, internal control, personal responsibility, and client-centered healing rooted in Choice Theory, behavioral science, and The Davis Model.

A: The course includes 9 episodes totaling approximately 313 minutes (just over 5 hours) of professional training content.

A: Yes, both a certificate of completion and a continuing education certificate are available to participants. There is no charge or fee for either certificate, it is included for those that purchase the course and professional members.

A: Yes, Wholehearted Publishing is a recognized continuing education provider by most boards and organizations in the United States, Canada, and Europe for the following professions: Counselors, Therapists, Social Workers, Marriage And Family Therapists, & Coaches. Please contact us if you need details. There is no charge or fee for continuing education, it is included with your course purchase or professional membership.

A: Yes. Once enrolled, you will have on-demand access to all episodes. You can move through the material at your own pace, revisiting lessons anytime you need.

"Recovery is not about chasing highs. It is about learning to live fully in the spaces in between."

  • PROGRAM TITLE: Recovery By Choice
  • PRESENTED BY: Dr. BJ Davis
  • YEAR PUBLISHED: 2025
  • PUBLISHER: Wholehearted Publishing
  • PRODUCED BY: AJ Foxx
  • LANGUAGE: English, English Subtitles
  • WITH GRATITUDE & LOVE FOR:
  • The dedicated team at Wholehearted.org
  • PROGRAM AUTHOR: AJ Foxx
  • A/V PRODUCTION TEAM: Kyle Spencer, Sterling Knight, Ethan Webster, Michael Dugan, Colt Warren, Greg Taylor, Ethan Ireland, Ryan McClara
  • PHOTOGRAPHY: Lukas Foxx
  • CREATIVE, ART, AND SET: AJ Foxx, Kyle Spencer, Sterling Knight, Lukas Foxx, Colt Warren
  • POST PRODUCTION & EDITING: Kyle Spencer, Tanner Mets, Kevin Milvik, Josh Gonyea-Reding
  • GRAPHIC DESIGN: Jazmine Walker, Kyle Spencer
  • TEAM SUPPORT, TECH, & PUBLISHING: Kevin Milvik, Dr. Julie Chatigny, Tom White
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