POLARIS INSIGHT CENTER - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHOTHERAPIST
Amanda is an LMFT with experience in private practice and community mental health. She focuses on treating trauma, complications from attachment disruptions and struggles of identity. She has a particular passion in supporting parents healing in order to more fully show up for the work and play of parenting. She completed the CIIS Certificate in Psychedelic Therapies and Research in 2021 and has great respect for ways in which non-ordinary states can help grant deeper access to our ability to heal. She has done advanced training in trauma, mind-body approaches, couples and family therapy, and expressive arts. She completed a 500 hour yoga teacher training which serves as a foundation for her work as a psychotherapist.
Job Titles:
- PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHOTHERAPIST
Job Titles:
- PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHOTHERAPIST
Devon is trained in client-centered therapy, Hakomi somatic therapy, and mindfulness meditation. He practices emotionally focused therapy (EFT) for couples and families. He supports adolescents, including in their transition into adulthood. He is an experienced group facilitator. Devon leads integration groups in the Polaris Insight Training Program.
Janine Inez, PMHNP-BC PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHOTHERAPIST Dr. Janine Inez, PMHNP-BC, is a doctorally prepared Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner who graduated from Columbia University. She works with emergent adults, adults, LGBTQ+, artists, BIPOC, and healthcare worker populations, offering combined psychotherapy and medication management. She specializes in psychedelic-assisted therapy and narrative therapy for depression, anxiety, trauma, and self-growth. She has worked with depression, anxiety, trauma, nutrition, stress, and spiritual exploration. In her spare time, she writes poetry and fiction, meditates, forest bathes, and does yoga.
Emily grew up on all coasts of the country, from CA to PA to TX and back to CA… where she never plans to leave! Emily received her bachelor's in journalism from Cal Poly but soon realized her love for creative writing was not fulfilled. Emily went back to school and received a second bachelor's in nursing at San Francisco State. She currently works as an RN at UCSF on the pediatric acute care resource team, where she works closely with children with cancer and their families. Her work as an RN has reinforced in her the importance of mental health and her passion for it, and her goal is to become a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. In her free time, Emily enjoys being outside hiking, backpacking and camping, especially when it's sunny, creating and editing videos, and going to see live music.
Job Titles:
- 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.
Job Titles:
- PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHOTHERAPIST
Farooq Malik, LMFT PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHOTHERAPIST Farooq, transitioning from tech to psychotherapy with a Master's from the California Institute of Integral Studies, specializes in body-oriented therapy, rejecting a one-size-fits-all approach. As an immigrant, he deeply understands life transitions. His relational and holistic approach centers on the heart-body-mind connection, spanning couples therapy, psychedelic-assisted therapy, mindfulness, trauma therapy, and spiritual experiences. Drawing on 8 years with the Native American church, he integrates Native, Western, and Eastern perspectives. Trained in AEDP, EFT, and SE, Farooq incorporates mindfulness, self-compassion, and breath awareness.
Job Titles:
- PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHOTHERAPIST
Frank focuses on combining neuroscience-informed trauma modalities with psychedelics. His intention with this cross-over is to help amplify and ground the powerful healing capabilities of expansive states of consciousness. With the potential to facilitate the profound transpersonal and mystical experience. Integrating mindfulness, the body and depth psychology, EMDR therapy, he weaves together a creative and practical roadmap towards healing. He has undergone KAP training through Ketamine Training Center and MDMA-Assisted Therapy Training through MAPS. Frank is a trainer in the Polaris Insight Training Program.
Job Titles:
- MARKETING and OPERATIONS COORDINATOR
Hannah Mouyal graduated from American University in 2017 and moved to San Francisco immediately after to work in The Tenderloin. There, she worked at a free medical clinic for Tenderloin residents and taught 4th Grade at a school there. Her experience working with houselessness, addiction, and early childhood trauma have led her to seek out alternative pathways to healing. She is passionate about spreading awareness of the endless capabilities of psychedelic-assisted therapy-with a specific interest in the treatment of addictions. In her free time, she enjoys hosting vegan dinner parties and spending a lot of time in Golden Gate Park!
Hannahlee Elliott, RN REGISTERED NURSE Hannahlee earned her nursing degree in 2011 with a minor in Spanish from Villanova University. She focuses on bodily autonomy supporting patients at various life stages that include abortion care, palliative, and end-of-life. Her experience includes oncology, medical/surgical, sexual assault nurse examiner, home visiting RN for first-time moms and HIV counseling. She currently works with the hematology-oncology team at UCSF where she supports patients with life threatening illnesses. She has participated in the initiation of ketamine drips in the inpatient setting. Hannahlee is pursuing her family nurse practitioner degree from the University of Colorado.
Job Titles:
- 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.
Jaime is a critical care nurse with eight years of experience in patient care, starting at Texas Tech University and continuing his service with a compassionate and proactive stance on the integration of holistic practices in healthcare. He is currently pursuing his Nurse Practitioner degree and is deeply interested in the potential of psychedelic therapy as well as exploring the synergistic application of Eastern and Western medicine to enhance the full potential of patient outcomes. He indulges in the arts, expressing his creative soul side through painting, and satisfies his love for exploration with spontaneous trips and long, adventurous drives, finding in these pursuits a parallel to the unpredictable yet rewarding nature that is life.
Job Titles:
- INTAKE and TRAINING COORDINATOR
Jana Adamova graduated from the Business Academy in Prague in 2009 and is a NPTI & NASM Certified Administrative Specialist through the National Personal Training Institute. She has worked as a Personal Trainer and Educator and as an Administrator for construction projects. She enjoys mountain biking, hiking, traveling, horseback riding, yoga, art, music, and cross-cultural studies.
Jen Perez, RN, has been a nurse for almost 15 years and has worked in both adult and pediatric settings. A majority of her career has been spent in the Pediatric ICU at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital where she cares for infants and children of all ages. She is also a student pursuing a DNP in Psychiatric and Mental Health. She has attended meditation and breathwork retreats and is fascinated by psychedelic therapy. Jen is passionate about health and fitness and enjoy free diving and Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
Job Titles:
- Licensed Clinical Psychologist
- PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHOTHERAPIST
Jessica is a licensed clinical psychologist. She moved to Oakland in 2018 and has since received training in ISTDP, IFS, and KAP. She has volunteered with the Zendo Project and co-facilitates a women's psychedelic integration circle through Tam Integration. Since 2021 she is the Founder and Therapist at The Head and The Heart Psychotherapy Center. She has worked in hospitals, community mental health centers, the VA, integrative functional medicine clinics, and private practice. Her specialization areas include trauma-related conditions and substance use disorders, holistic psychotherapy, psychodynamic therapy, KAP, and psychedelic integration. She enjoys yoga, live music, hiking, camping, travel, art, cooking, reading, writing, and spending time with animals.
Job Titles:
- RETREAT and MARKETING ASSISTANT
Julian is a life-long artist with a passion for connection, integration coaching, and helping others. A native New Yorker, he grew up surrounded by expressions of the human experience through various forms of art and was always fascinated in studying how personalities and behavior develop. Julian often found friends and family would turn to him for advice or guidance knowing he offered an open mind and dynamic ways to think of solutions to difficult situations that were occurring. In Jan 2020, a chronic gastrointestinal illness led Julian to California for a life sabbatical, where a random meeting triggered a life change and he was invited to join The Ketamine Training Center as a Training Coordinator and Administrative Assistant. A recipient of KAP, Julian's chronic illness subsided and he has been an advocate for KAP's benefits and has since assisted in coordinating over 15 KAP trainings. In 2023, he became a certified Mind-Body Coach through The Embody Lab and joined the Polaris Team to continue his passion for helping others.
Julie launched her career on a Med/Surg unit where she learned some first-hand lessons about life and death. Next, she had the privilege of ushering babies into the world as a staff nurse in L&D for 17 years. Julie then did hospice training and 5 years of hospice work, helping transition souls out of this world and into the next. She began her spiritual work with an MA in Women's Spirituality at Sofia University in Palo Alto. Julie is certified as a mindfulness teacher, trained at Mindful Schools, in Oakland, CA, and completed a 2-year teacher training. She teaches mindfulness to K-5 children. She received her certificate in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy at CIIS in 2018.
Job Titles:
- Clinical Social Worker
- PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHOTHERAPIST
Lauren is a licensed clinical social worker and psychotherapist. She is trained in psychodynamic therapy and brings a trauma-informed lens to her therapy work. She has experience working with individuals, couples, and groups in private practice and community mental health settings and specializes in treating mood disorders, addiction, and the effects of relational trauma.
Misha McKinney, RN, BSN, CPN, Rev, earned her nursing degree in 2009 and pursued a specialty in pediatric nursing. Additionally, she underwent a 2-½ year ayahuasca apprenticeship learning to facilitate healing ceremonies. She has undergone a 2-year Ministry training and became an Ordained Minister in 2019. She has undergone KAP training through the Ketamine Training Center. She is currently completing a 200-hr yoga teacher training program. Her interests include Western herbalism, sound healing, spending time in nature, reading, and poetry. Misha co-leads KAP groups at Polaris Insight Center, and leads integration groups in Polaris Insight Training Program.
An-Nhien Le, BSN, RN, CPN REGISTERED NURSE An-Nhien Le earned her nursing degree from the University of San Francisco in 2010 and currently works as an inpatient nurse caring for pediatric to young adult patients with various complex medical and psychiatric needs including eating disorders. She is also a musician, a meditation and breathwork facilitator, and has completed a 10-day Vipassana silent retreat. She has volunteered with the Zendo Project at Burning Man and is passionate about holding space for others in their healing journeys. She is pursuing a graduate degree as a Psychiatric Mental Health NP at UCSF.
Job Titles:
- PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHOTHERAPIST
Renee specializes in trauma and recovery and embraces psychedelic-assisted therapies like KAP to facilitate growth and connectedness. She works with couples and individuals to enhance their ability to feel more of their aliveness, to increase resilience, and to be in an ongoing process of integration and expansion. Her approach draws from yoga philosophy, movement science, neuroscience, social work, social justice, and indigenous food and plant healing traditions and weaves together somatic analytical and mystical facets of psychotherapy. Renee leads integration groups in the Polaris Insight Training Program.
Renee started her nursing career in 2005, mostly working in ERs across the country. She obtained her CEN (Certified Emergency Nurse) credentials and has practiced at SF General Hospital since 2012. Currently, she is working at SFGH as an urgent care nurse. In 2022 she had her first psychedelic experience that drastically changed her path. Knowing she had burnout from the ER and childhood trauma, she started to go towards self-healing. In 2023, she went back to school to become a massage therapist. She is passionate about learning how to incorporate somatic bodywork into healing and psychedelic therapy as well as figuring out how to make this healing work more accessible to all including BIPOC and Queer Folx.
Job Titles:
- PSYCHIATRIST and PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHOTHERAPIST
Robert Voloshin, DO PSYCHIATRIST AND PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHOTHERAPIST Robert is a board-certified psychiatrist who has research experience with Psilocybin-Assisted Psychotherapy for the treatment of Alcohol Use Disorder. He has extensive training in Integrative Psychiatry as well as Somatic and Relational approaches to therapy such as Somatic Experiencing and Hakomi. He uses a systemic, relational, and psychodynamic approach to Ketamine Psychotherapy. He aims to help clients out of self-reinforcing cycles of depression and anxiety and establish life-affirming patterns that can support inspired living. Robert is a trainer in the Polaris Insight Training Program.
Job Titles:
- PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHOTHERAPIST
Ryan completed his internship at SF Marriage and Couples Center, received training in EMDR, and volunteered with the MAPS Zendo Project. Additionally, he is the Founder and Therapist at Bay Area Holistic Psychotherapy. His specialization areas include couples therapy, holistic psychotherapy, ketamine-assisted psychotherapy, psychedelic integration, and harm-reduction, and spiritual experiences. In his spare time, he enjoys yoga, dancing, backcountry backpacking/camping, psychedelic medicine, festivals, art, music, cooking, painting, sewing, woodworking, and the human experience in all its many manifestations. Ryan is a trainer in the Polaris Insight Training Program.
Sonia Doulton earned her Diploma and Advanced Diploma in Integrative Counselling and Psychotherapy from The Minster Centre, London, and her Masters in Integrative Psychotherapy from Middlesex University. Sonia moved to San Francisco and completed the program in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy and Research at the California Institute of Integral Studies in 2018. She is also a co-founder of the KAP clinic Ceremony Health in Berkeley and co-facilitator of San Francisco Psychedelic Society integration circles. Sonia leads integration groups in the Polaris Insight Training Program.
Job Titles:
- MARKETING and OPERATIONS COORDINATOR
Tabitha moved to Portland, Oregon from the Midwest in 2018 in search of a landscape offering more progressive drug policy as well as mountain, rainforest, and ocean views. After witnessing the opioid epidemic sweep through her home, she felt the urgency of rethinking how we relate to substances and processes of healing. She holds reverence for the illuminating capabilities of psychedelics and enjoys connecting with people on the intersection of psychedelic spiritual experiences, the deconstruction and reconstruction of faith, and how the two inform each other. In her free time, she can be found working in the garden, scribbling in a pocket notebook, or working up the courage to sing karaoke with her friends.
Taylor Simon, AMFT/APCC ASSOCIATE PSYCHEDELIC PSYCHOTHERAPIST While completing her Master's at CIIS, Taylor volunteered for MAPS examining the effects of psychedelic compounds on PTSD. She works in UCSF's Translational Research Lab conducting research on the uses of psilocybin and psilocin. Taylor holds Jung's belief that the true self has a natural drive toward wholeness. She creates a space for full self-expression so her clients feel welcome to be themselves without judgment. Her integral approach takes into consideration her clients' personal life experiences, spiritual essence, family dynamics, and the impact of oppressive sociopolitical systems on overall wellbeing. Taylor specializes in trauma therapy for adults and recovery from toxic family structures.
Job Titles:
- 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.