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TRANSFORMING EMOTION 

…With Emotion
Presented by Aven Armstrong-Sutton, PhD

January 1, 2026

wholehearted.org

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TRANSFORMING EMOTION

... with emotion

Presented by Aven Armstrong-Sutton, PhD

January 1, 2026

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"Quote from Aven"

Dr. Aven Armstrong-Sutton
  • 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

Another Quote By Aven

Dr. Aven Armstrong-Sutton

PROGRAM DETAILS

Transforming Emotion

Long description coming soon…

Quote from Aven

- Dr. Aven Armstrong-Sutton

YOU WILL LEARN

  • Learning Objectives Coming Soon

Dr. Aven's' Teaching Style

Aven’s Teaching Style

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.

Aven Armstrong-Sutton, PhD

Wholehearted Expert
Licensed Clinical Social Worker

  • Notable Works:
  • Clinical Director Wholehearted Counseling
  • Director Behavioral Health: One Community Health
  • Mass Media:
  • Transforming Emotion

ABOUT THE PRESENTER

“Aven Quote”

Aven Bio

More About Aven

CTA

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.

Another Quote

  • PROGRAM TITLE: Transforming Emotion
  • PRESENTED BY: Aven Armstrong-Sutton, PhD
  • YEAR PUBLISHED: 2026
  • PUBLISHER: Wholehearted Publishing
  • PRODUCED BY: AJ Foxx
  • LANGUAGE: English, English Subtitles
  • WITH GRATITUDE & LOVE FOR:
  • The dedicated team at Wholehearted.org
  • PRODUCED & CREATED BY: AJ Foxx & Aven Armstrong-Sutton, PhD
  • 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: Sasina Eunirankul, Jazmine Walker, Kyle Spencer
  • TEAM SUPPORT, TECH, & PUBLISHING: Kevin Milvik, Dr. Julie Chatigny, Tom White
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