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.

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 MAPS MDMA-Assisted Therapy Training Program and is currently a supervisor and a trainer on the MAPS 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 is a marriage and family therapist who specializes in the treatment of trauma. She is a Certified Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, Certified EMDR therapist, Consultant, and Facilitator, and Realization Process Teacher. She has undergone multiple trainings in psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy, including advanced training through the Ketamine Training Center and Kriya Institute, and MDMA-Assisted Therapy Training through MAPS, and is currently a supervisor and a trainer on the MAPS MDMA-Assisted Therapy Clinical Trials for the treatment-resistant PTSD. She regularly presents at conferences and teaches on trauma and psychedelic-assisted therapies.  Veronika is a lead trainer in the Polaris Insight Training Program. 

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 MAPS MDMA Therapy Training Program and is currently a Sub-Investigator and Co-therapist, and a trainer on the MAPS 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
April 1st • July 13th • September 30th

*Module 1 is a prerequisite for Modules 2-5 and the Practice Module.

MODULE 2
April 23rd • August 13th • November 1st

MODULE 3
May 13th • September 17th • December 17th

MODULE 4
June 24th • October 15th

MODULE 5
March 20th •  July 17th • October 30th

PRACTICE MODULE
March 25th • August 2nd •  November 11th

MODULE 6
June 8th

MODULE 7
August 16th

MODULE 8
September 13th

HEALING THE HEALER
Future Dates TBA

MUSIC FOR KETAMINE-ASSISTED PSYCHOTHERAPY
August 3rd

MEDICAL MODULE BY RAINFALL MEDICINE

April 13th

INTEGRATION MODULE
March 29th

ETHICS MODULE
Future Dates TBA

ACT MODULE
October 12th

Featured in Media

BREAKTHROUGH FOR psychedelic medicine— veronika Gold

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