A clinic for healing, well-being, and transformation.
Located in the heart of San Francisco, we offer Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy, psychiatric services, and integration therapy.
Our Mission
We are dedicated to helping people find healing and growth through the compassionate and ethical use of expanded states of consciousness. We are committed to training the next generation of psychedelic therapists and clinicians. Polaris strives to contribute to the ongoing development of clinical practice and research in the field of psychedelic-assisted therapies.
Help Us Help Others:
Many clients find that ketamine experiences, delivered within a psychotherapeutic setting, foster greater insights into themselves and their interpersonal relationships, and enhance their overall sense of well-being.
Polaris Co-Founders
Our Treatment Process
We are dedicated to helping people find well-being through the compassionate and ethical use of expanded states of consciousness.
We are also committed to training the next generation of psychedelic therapists and clinicians from diverse backgrounds and orientations.
Intake
A personalized process to get to know you, understand your needs, and develop a tailored treatment plan.
Prep
We provide education and guided support for KAP sessions, with an emphasis on the therapeutic relationship.
KAP
Individualized treatment includes a series of guided ketamine-assisted psychotherapy sessions, each lasting 2-3 hours.
Integration
Ongoing support is available to assist you in cultivating insights, meaning making, and implementing lasting changes.
We are dedicated to helping people find well-being through the compassionate and ethical use of expanded states of consciousness.
We are also committed to training the next generation of psychedelic therapists and clinicians from diverse backgrounds and orientations.
We are innovators in the field of psychedelic therapy
The Polaris’ founders were among the first clinicians in the country to be trained by MAPS (the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies) and to provide ketamine-assisted psychotherapy. We integrate somatic, psychological, and transpersonal approaches in our experiential treatment model. Clinicians at Polaris bring a breadth and diversity of clinical background, training and experience to our clients.
Harvey Schwartz, PhD
CO-FOUNDER AND PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHOTHERAPIST
Harvey Schwartz, PhD
CO-FOUNDER AND PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHOTHERAPIST
Harvey is a licensed psychologist who specializes in treating complex PTSD, dissociative disorders, as well as patients with spiritual and therapy-related trauma. He has undergone advanced Ketamine-Assisted Therapy training through the Ketamine Training Center and the LYKOS MDMA-Assisted Therapy Training Program and was a supervisor and a trainer on the LYKOS MDMA-Assisted Therapy Clinical Trials. In his clinical work and consultation, he synthesizes relational psychodynamic, archetypal, existential, and mindfulness perspectives. He has worked on advancing the theory and practice of integration in psychedelic therapies. Harvey is the training director and a lead trainer in the Polaris Insight Training Program.
Harvey Schwartz, PhD
Veronika Gold, LMFT
CO-FOUNDER AND PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHOTHERAPIST
Veronika Gold, LMFT
CO-FOUNDER AND PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHOTHERAPIST
Veronika Gold, LMFT, is a co-founder of Polaris Insight Center, a ketamine-assisted psychotherapy clinic and a training center in San Francisco. She serves as a therapist, and as a trainer and consultant for KAP practitioners around the world. Veronika worked as an educator, trainer, and mentor supervisor for Lykos Therapeutics and as a sub-investigator and therapist on Lykos Therapeutics’ MDMA-Assisted Psychotherapy for PTSD treatment Phase 2 and Phase 3 Clinical Trials. She is trained by Beckley Psytech in 5-MeO-DMT assisted therapy, and as a psilocybin facilitator through InnerTrack. Veronika advocates for ethical, non-hierarchical, and collaborative ways of treatment.
Veronika Gold, LMFT
Eric Sienknecht, PsyD
CO-FOUNDER AND PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHOTHERAPIST
Eric Sienknecht, PsyD
CO-FOUNDER AND PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHOTHERAPIST
Eric is a licensed psychologist who specializes in treating chronic pain, mood disorders, and trauma. He has undergone training in KAP through the Ketamine Training Center and in MDMA-Assisted Therapy through the LYKOS MDMA Therapy Training Program and was a Sub-Investigator and Co-therapist, and a trainer on the LYKOS MDMA-Assisted Therapy Clinical Trials for treatment-resistant PTSD. He presents at conferences regularly on topics such as set and setting, ethics, integration, working with expansive states of consciousness, and music in psychedelic therapy. Eric is a lead trainer in the Polaris Insight Training Program.
Eric Sienknecht, PsyD
Patients can visit one of many ketamine clinics across the United States, some more reputable than others. The Polaris Insight Center in San Francisco, for instance, was founded by clinicians from the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) and takes care to customize ketamine treatments for patients with varying dosages and talk therapy.
Wired online magazine
Polaris Insight Center provides didactic and experiential trainings in Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy.
Join our 2023-2024 KAP Training Cohort, beginning in September 2023!
UPCOMING DATES:
MODULE 1
July 22nd • August 18th • October 30th
*Module 1 is a prerequisite for Modules 2-5 and the Practice Module.
MODULE 2
August 14th • November 17th
MODULE 3
October 2nd • December 4th
MODULE 4
July 14th
MODULE 5
July 16th
PRACTICE MODULE
August 17th • October 24th • December 6th • January 30 AND January 31
MODULE 6
January 9th
MODULE 7
April 17th
MODULE 8
Future Dates TBA
HEALING THE HEALER
November 1st
MUSIC FOR KETAMINE-ASSISTED PSYCHOTHERAPY
August 16th
MEDICAL MODULE BY RAINFALL MEDICINE
September 12 • November 14
INTEGRATION MODULE
July 18th
ETHICS MODULE
November 3rd
ACT MODULE
July 19th • September 19th
WOMEN HEALERS
Future Dates TBA
