Dr. Elisa Hallerman
PhD in Depth Psychology, focusing on Neuroscience and Trauma Attorney. Trauma-Focused Drug and Alcohol Counselor
Dr. Elisa Hallerman, PhD, JD, has had a diverse career over the past 25 years. Without her unique journey, the Recovery Management Agency would not exist. Dr. Hallerman is an attorney and member of the New York State Bar Association. She holds a master’s and doctorate from Pacifica Graduate Institute in Depth Psychology and Somatic Studies, focusing on neuroscience and trauma. Dr. Hallerman is also a drug and alcohol counselor, and certified in yogic science for addictive behavior. In addition, she is a member of the Institute for Functional Medicine. Finally, Dr. Hallerman serves as a visiting professor for film and media arts at Chapman University, where she melds the art of agenting in Hollywood with balance, passion, meaning, and purpose.
In 1990, Dr. Hallerman graduated from the University of Michigan, where she majored in political science and sociology. She attended New York Law School and practiced law in Manhattan until 1996. After her parents’ divorce, she and her sister moved to Los Angeles. Dr. Hallerman quickly found a job working at ICM Partners as an assistant to a talent agent. After losing a close friend to suicide, she moved to United Talent Agency in Beverly Hills, where her career as an agent was built. She was a partner and head of the talent department until her departure in 2008. As Dr. Hallerman began to realize that agenting might no longer be for her, she wondered if another agency would fulfill her calling—so she joined Endeavor Agency down the street, which later merged with William Morris in 2009 to become William Morris Endeavor (WME). Working at WME quelled Dr. Hallerman’s calling to leave the talent business at first. But the urge gradually became louder and louder. Knowing she had to leave was no longer the issue—what she would do next was the big question.
Curious about what else was out there, Dr. Hallerman dove into classes at UCLA and focused on drug and alcohol counseling. She had been in recovery since 2002 and had watched multiple family members and previous clients suffer from addiction and alcoholism. While taking classes at night and working for WME during the day, she began to realize the field of addiction might even be more of the “Wild West” than Hollywood.
Dr. Hallerman knew that her passion as an agent had helped her guide her clients to achieve their dreams. She recognized this strength and channeled it into a new way of helping people: toward optimal wellness through their best path to healing.
