Former top Hollywood agent Dr. Elisa Hallerman (@drelisahallerman), who pivoted to create the first recovery agency devoted to assisting addicts to recover from their addictions, joins me to discuss her new book Soulbriety: A Plan to Heal Your Trauma, Overcome Addiction, and Reconnect with Your Soul.
Soulbriety is out now and available wherever books are sold. Get yours here: https://amzn.to/3P14wMI (Amazon Link)
Why is addiction a crisis of meaning?
According to Dr. Elisa Hallerman, an “existential vacuum of meaning”—the belief that one’s life, especially their personal and professional life, is meaningless—is substantially to blame for the issues of violence, addiction, and despair.
In the end, meaning keeps us going through life—to paraphrase Viktor Frankl—regardless of how much or how little power and pleasure we experience. Meaning can assist us in addressing issues with anger, addiction, and despair. No matter how desperate things may seem or truly be, it is meaning that will keep us going as we face the difficulties of daily life in our relationships, at work, and with society as a whole. To achieve the degrees of human progress and enlightenment and the quality of life that still lie ahead of us, we must find this meaning.
Whether it’s dream works, art, creativity, storytelling, or personification, there are different ways that we can tap in and make what’s unknown known. And, for me, that was a missing link in my own personal growth.
Dr. Elisa Hallerman
Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Podcast Addict, Pocket Casts, Stitcher, Castbox, Google Podcasts, Listen Notes, Amazon Music, or on your favorite podcast platform. You can watch the interview on YouTube below.
Enjoy!
In This Episode, Dr. Elisa Hallerman And I Discuss Her New Book, Soulbriety and Why Addiction is a Crisis of Meaning
Have you recently experienced a crisis of meaning?
If so, you’re not the only one. Many of us struggle with overcoming past trauma, dealing with addiction, and the lack of happiness in our careers and relationships.
To help those who are struggling with these issues, Dr. Elisa Hallerman wrote Soulbrity. Her answer? Learning how to reconnect with your soul through the journey of soul work.
Dr. Elisa Hallerman and I discuss how reconnecting with your soul can change your life. Elisa discusses her personal journey through addiction and trauma and learns that soul work is a framework that can help you change your life and has helped many others to change theirs.
Dr. Hallerman discusses the various sorts of trauma, how they might appear in your life, and the significance of the soul journey and what it entails. The episode is filled with tips and advice on overcoming trauma and addiction and reaching your goals.
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More From My Interview With Elisa Hallerman How to Reconnect With Your Soul by Practicing Soul Work
During my interview with Dr. Hallerman, I asked her if the purpose of Soulbriety was for her to share her personal journey so that others could learn how to find the joy and passion of being sober.
Dr. Elisa Hallerman explains, “Yes, exactly. Doing soul work. Soul speaks in a story. metaphor and imagery. So there was no other way to explain these bigger concepts and take someone on a soul journey. I don’t really talk about the steps of the soul journey until the end of the book because I don’t want them clouded and missing things. Looking for their own until they really get to the end.
Because I want them to understand how they’re engaging in other stories, whether mine or those of clients, and be able to see themselves and recognize, hey, I see myself here. And I see myself here, my loved one here, or whoever it is that you might be reading it for. And then, towards the end, when I have really snuck in these teaching concepts throughout storytelling, they’re already within you, and you have this language you didn’t have when you started.
And then you’re really able to look at the steps of a soul journey and figure out where you personally might be on that and then be able to dive into where that is for you and what is going to come next.”
Thanks, Dr. Elisa Hallerman!
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Resources From The Show With Dr. Elisa Hallerman
Please note that some of the links on this page (books, movies, music, etc.) lead to affiliate programs for which The Passion Struck podcast receives compensation. It’s just one of the ways we keep the lights on around here. Thank you so much for being so supportive!
Website: https://drhallerman.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/elisahallerman
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drelisahallerman/
My solo episode on what it means to be a person of courage: https://passionstruck.com/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-person-of-courage/
My interview with Seth Godin on why we need systems to change to save the planet and address climate change: https://passionstruck.com/seth-godin-we-need-systems-change-save-planet/.
My interview with Dr. Scott Barry Kaufman and Dr. Jordan Feingold on Choosing Growth and transcending self-doubt, fear, and anxiety: https://passionstruck.com/jordyn-feingold-scott-barry-kaufman-chose-growth/
My interview with NYU Stern School of Business Professor Scott Galloway on Why America is Adrift: https://passionstruck.com/scott-galloway-america-is-adrift/
My solo episode on why micro choices matter: https://passionstruck.com/why-your-micro-choices-determine-your-life/
About Today’s Guest, Elisa Hallerman
Dr. Elisa Hallerman, Ph.D., J.D. has had a diverse career over the past 25 years. Without her unique journey, the Recovery Management Agency (RMA) would not exist. Dr. Hallerman is an attorney and member of the N.Y. State Bar Association. She holds a master’s and a doctorate 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. 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. She melds the art of agenting in Hollywood with balance, passion, meaning, and purpose.
In 1990, Dr. Hallerman graduated from the University of Michigan, majoring 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 may 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 realized the addiction field 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: she wished to guide people toward optimal wellness through their best path to healing.
Dr. Hallerman’s first book, Soulbriety: Heal Your Trauma, Overcome Addiction and Reconnect with Your Soul, is being published by Hachette on December 2, 2022. SOULBRIETY™ methodology is designed to work with individuals, families, and groups, focusing on addiction, mental health, trauma, and chronic pain.
The agency handles every inch of what is needed while advising and continuing to guide the family or business system around them toward the best course of action. Dr. Hallerman currently lives in Los Angeles and treats clients worldwide.
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John R. Miles is a serial entrepreneur and the CEO and founder of Passion Struck. This full-service media company helps people live intentionally by creating best-in-class educational and entertainment content. John is also a prolific public speaker, venture capitalist, and author named to the ComputerWorld Top 100 IT Leaders.
John is the host of the PassionStruckPodcast. The show focused on exploring the mindset and philosophy of the world’s most inspiring people to learn their lessons to living intentionally. Passion Struck aspires to speak to the humanity of people in a way that makes them want to live better, be better and impact.