A Curiae Anecdotes: Recovery in Action with Becky

By Naomi Friedland

After a criminal charge motivated Becky Davis to recover from addiction, she has since given back to the communities that supported her, helping others through reentry and recovery.

“It was not hard, but it wasn’t easy,” Davis said.

“All of it is so worth it because the alternative is 10 years in prison.”

She said through CAP she learned how to live life sober. Therapy and rehab helped her deal with the trauma, heartache and grief that kept her in addiction.

Davis also participated in A Curiae’s mentorship program. She completed nine half-hour meetings with her mentor because she enjoyed it so much. She said her mentor helped her resolve issues she was having with her supervisor at her previous workplace. Her mentor helped her develop skills for both her professional and personal life.

Davis grew up in San Jose, CA and said she had always used drugs. She was able to work throughout her life in manufacturing and home health care, even in heavier addiction. Her addiction became more severe when her son passed away in 2007, followed by the death of her mother and grandparents.

She spiraled, developing depression and complicated grief. Davis said she was arrested a few times when she was a younger adult, but she only got a misdemeanor. “I call my federal case my double-edged sword,” Davis said.

She said she would not have gotten help and would not have become who she is without her conviction. She made sure to use her time in rehab to the best of her ability. She said she has developed the skills to work through her personal issues and recognize when she needs to ask for help.

After getting off probation in May, Davis returned to her rehabilitation center, Center Point Inc. in San Rafael, as a Peer Support Specialist.

Davis said she enjoys engaging with clients at the center and appreciates the support network she has developed with her co-workers. She works alongside some of her former therapists and benefits from being able to confide in them as co-workers now.

Davis recently began taking courses at the Christian Institute on a full scholarship to become a substance use counselor. She said she will hopefully finish her degree in one to 1.5 years and plans to continue to work at Center Point Inc.

In addition to working full-time at Center Point Inc. Davis is also a case manager at A Curiae. She helps clients connect with resources including housing, educational opportunities and employment.

A Curiae president and founder Wyatt Lim-Tepper reached out to her to see if she was interested in being a case manager. She said he recognized that she made a point to reach out to peers in her program when she went through CAP, setting up group texts and initiating phone calls. She also continued to connect with her colleagues in CAP after they graduated.

Davis said her clients don’t always know that she has been in their shoes and also has been involved with the criminal justice system.

“It’s nice to be there for somebody that is struggling,” she said.