What it is
Polaris Insight Center opened in 2018 as one of the first ketamine-assisted psychotherapy clinics, started training clinicians in 2020, and now says it has trained over 2,000. Its founders are MAPS-trained clinicians who worked in Phase 2 and Phase 3 MDMA-assisted psychotherapy trials for PTSD, and the lead trainers studied with the Ketamine Training Center and KRIYA Institute. That lineage matters mainly because it explains the house style: transpersonal, inner-directed, psychedelic-therapy-flavored rather than protocol-and-checklist medical.
The structure is deliberately modular rather than a single tuition bill. Everything is priced per unit: each full-day (8-hour) module is $375 ($350 plus a $25 non-refundable admin fee), with 8 CE credits available for an extra $79. Module 1, 'Introduction to Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy', is the prerequisite for Modules 2–5 and the Practice Module. Buying all six as the Foundational Series is $1,950, a $300 discount. An alternative on-ramp is the 2026 Cohort — 52 training hours over five months (12 three-hour sessions, a Training & Practice Module, and four discussion groups) starting 11 September 2026 for $2,450, with 44 CE hours available for a flat $350. The cohort covers the same content as Modules 1–5 but in a fixed group, and its discussion groups count for 3 of the 12 group-consultation hours the certificate requires.
The certificate itself is the real commitment and Polaris is honest that it is 'expected to be a 1-to-2-year process.' It requires: Modules 1–5 plus the Practice Module; any two of nine advanced or special-topic modules; 12 group consultation sessions AND 12 individual consultation sessions, with letters of recommendation from both consultants; one five-day experiential practicum retreat (or an approved alternative such as Grof Transpersonal Training or holotropic breathwork intensives); a minimum of 18 real KAP sessions with at least three different clients; a 3–5 page reflection essay; and an administrative processing fee. That clinical-hours requirement is the thing to plan around: you cannot finish this certificate without already having a working KAP practice, which means you must have solved the prescriber problem first.
The experiential practicum retreat is where trainees have their own ketamine sessions. Polaris does not say so in one blunt sentence, but the retreat page promises you will 'learn through direct experience about the medical, biological, psychological, transpersonal, and phenomenological aspects of the ketamine experience,' screens applicants for medical contraindications (sleep apnea, untreated blood pressure or heart conditions, history of psychosis, stroke risk, active mania, recent TBI, untreated seizure disorders), and is run in collaboration with a medical clinic, Rainfall Medicine. Trainee testimonials on Polaris's own site refer to 'my own journey content' and to 'sitting with someone experiencing a journey.' The retreat price is not published anywhere on the site, which is the single biggest hole in an otherwise transparent price list.
See it and hear it
What it lets you do
This is the section the program’s own marketing is least specific about, so it runs before everything else. It was established against the program’s own materials and against the two state registers that matter — Oregon’s approved-curriculum list and Colorado’s.
- Practice ketamine-assisted psychotherapy in California today, as the psychotherapy half of a collaborative pair — because ketamine is an FDA-approved anaesthetic that a licensed prescriber can prescribe off-label, this is the one psychedelic-assisted modality a California LMFT/LCSW/LPCC/psychologist can actually do now.
- Earn CE hours that count toward California license renewal. Polaris states verbatim: 'Polaris Insight Center is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists... The California Board of Behavioral Sciences accepts CE credits for LCSW, LPCC, LEP, and LMFT license renewal for programs offered by approved sponsors of CE by the American Psychological Association.' 8 CE per full-day module ($79), 44 CE for the cohort ($350). Note: not CME, so physicians must check their own board.
- Be listed in the Polaris/Rainfall KAP Practitioner Directory on completing the certificate — a marketing and referral asset, not a credential.
- Present a training credential that KAP platforms and clinics actually recognize: Journey Clinical lists Polaris among the didactic trainings it accepts for onboarding (alongside CIIS, MAPS, Fluence, Alchemy and others).
- Do preparation and integration work with clients around psychedelic experiences that occur outside your office — legal in California with no special credential, and something the Integration and Ethics modules address directly.
- Prescribe, dispense, possess, or administer ketamine. You are not a prescriber. In the standard KAP arrangement an MD, DO, NP or PA holds all medical authority — clearance, dosing, prescribing, monitoring — and the therapist leads psychotherapy only. Journey Clinical puts the boundary plainly: 'Strict adherence to scope of practice is essential — psychotherapists should never engage in activities that could be interpreted as practicing medicine or psychiatry.'
- Touch psilocybin, MDMA or LSD. Psilocybin and LSD are Schedule I in California under Health & Safety Code §11054; MDMA-assisted therapy is still investigational and not FDA-approved (Lykos Therapeutics, whose expanded-access program is fully enrolled and closed, describes itself as still 'focused on pursuing FDA approval').
- Qualify for Oregon psilocybin facilitator licensure. Polaris Insight Center does not appear on Oregon Psilocybin Services' list of Current Active Psilocybin Training Programs (15 programs; checked 2026-08-06).
- Qualify for Colorado natural-medicine facilitator licensure. Polaris does not appear on Colorado DORA's Approved Natural Medicine Training Programs list (checked 2026-08-06).
- Change your BBS license, title, or scope. The certificate is a credential from a private clinic; the BBS neither recognizes nor requires it, and nothing about the training expands what your license permits.
- Finish the certificate without a live KAP caseload. The 18-sessions-with-3-clients requirement means you must already have a prescriber partner and paying clients before you can complete it.
CE credits for psychologists are provided by Polaris Insight Center which is sponsoring this program. Polaris Insight Center is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Polaris Insight Center maintains responsibility for this program and its content. The California Board of Behavioral Sciences accepts CE credits for LCSW, LPCC, LEP, and LMFT license renewal for programs offered by approved sponsors of CE by the American Psychological Association. LCSW, LPCC, LEP, and LMFTs, and other mental health professionals from states other than California need to check with their state licensing board as to whether or not they accept programs offered by approved sponsors of CE by the American Psychological Association.— Polaris Insight Center (with Rainfall Medicine), in its own materials
Why the answer is this narrow →
Cost, length and who can apply
What you would study
- Module 1: Introduction to Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy
Prerequisite for Modules 2–5 and the Practice Module. 8 hours, $375 (+$79 for 8 CE). Learning objectives: describe dosing strategies and routes of administration; explain the difference between infusion treatment and KAP and the pros and cons of each; identify ketamine side effects and management; summarize the three main elements of the KAP protocol (preparation, experiential, integration); differentiate psycholytic from NOSC treatment processes; discuss the intake process for KAP candidates. Instructors: Harvey Schwartz PhD, Veronika Gold LMFT, Eric Sienknecht PsyD, Robert Voloshin DO. 2026 dates listed: 10 September and 5 November 2026.
source ↗ - Modules 2–5: Intermediate Workshops I–IV on Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy
Four full-day (8-hour) live-online workshops, $375 each, 8 CE credits each for $79. Polaris: 'Most practitioners benefit from taking our Modules in sequence but are not required to do so once having taken Module 1.'
source ↗ - Practice Module: Training and Practice of Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy
Closes the Foundational Series; 'allows clinicians to practice implementing the fundamental principles of KAP.' In the cohort format it runs as one 8-hour Saturday or two 3.5-hour sessions, and provides 'hands-on practice and integration of core concepts with live supervision.'
source ↗ - Advanced Series — Modules 6, 7, 8: Advanced Workshops I–III
'This series of 3 workshops explores advanced topics in ketamine- and NOSC-assisted psychotherapies, including: the dynamics of the therapeutic relationship, depth psychotherapy, working with symbols, images, and mystical experiences, maximizing the healing potential of non-ordinary states of consciousness, and the range of potential psychological experiences in KAP.' $375 each (+$79 for 8 CE).
source ↗ - Special Topics Series — Music Module
'Music for Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy Sessions.' Half-day, $215 ($190 + $25 admin), 4 CE credits for $39.
source ↗ - Special Topics Series — Rainfall Medical Module
Delivered by Rainfall Medicine. $415 ($390 + $25 admin). 'There are no CE Credits available for this module.'
source ↗ - Special Topics Series — Healing the Healer: Tending to the Self of the Psychedelic Therapist
Focuses on 'the importance of self-care, processing material post-session, and preparation strategies for NOSC-assisted psychotherapy sessions to prevent countertransference stress and burnout,' including vicarious traumatization, burnout, compassion fatigue and secondary PTSD. $250 ($225 + $25), 6 CE credits for $49. Requires no prior KAP training.
source ↗ - Special Topics Series — Ethics Module
Full day, $375 (+$79 for 8 CE). Requires no prior KAP training.
source ↗ - Special Topics Series — Integration Module
Full day, $375 (+$79 for 8 CE).
source ↗ - Special Topics Series — ACT Module
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy applied to KAP. Half-day, $215, 4 CE credits for $39.
source ↗ - Special Topics Series — Women Healers Module
Full day, $375 (+$79 for 8 CE); a $350 tier also appears on the page.
source ↗ - Polaris/Rainfall Experiential KAP Training Practicum Retreat
'Five-day, in-person, introductory experiential training in ketamine-assisted psychotherapy.' Prerequisite: Module 1 or another Polaris module (or an equivalent introductory module from another program). Participants 'build upon the training from the modules,' 'increase familiarity with intake, preparation, set and setting, safety monitoring, non-ordinary states of consciousness (NOSC),' and 'learn through direct experience about the medical, biological, psychological, transpersonal, and phenomenological aspects of the ketamine experience.' Integration through music, art therapy, movement/dance, writing and meditation. 2026 dates: 7–11 August in Berkeley, CA and 14–18 October in Portland, OR. An Advanced retreat exists for graduates of the first; 2026 dates TBA. No CE credits for retreats. Medical contraindication screening applies. Price not published.
source ↗ - 2026 Cohort (alternative on-ramp)
52 training hours over 5 months, starting 11 September 2026, all sessions 8–11am Pacific. Topics listed: Introduction to KAP; Continued Clinical Topics in KAP; KAP Protocol; Somatic Approaches; War on Drugs; Healing Traditions and Big Picture Perspectives in Psychedelic Medicine; KAP Experiential (non-medicine); Transpersonal Perspectives; Virtual KAP; Ethics in KAP; Group KAP; Liberation Psychology; Transference in NOSC-Assisted Psychotherapies; Integration of Spiritual Experiences; Countertransference; Role Play and Practice Sessions; Working with Challenging Experiences; Issues of Attachment and Addiction; KAP for the Treatment of Trauma; Becoming a Psychedelic Therapist. $2,450 (sliding scale available); 44 CE hours for $350; cohort participants get 50% off Advanced Series modules and consultation groups for 6 months.
source ↗ - Consultation (required for the certificate)
Groups of max 12 clinicians meeting monthly on Zoom, co-facilitated by Polaris core/guest faculty. '$900 for 6 months' (specific listed groups show $750 for 5 sessions and $900 for 6 sessions); sliding scale available; pro-rated joining allowed. Individual consultation with Polaris-approved consultants: Eric Sienknecht PsyD, Steve Rosonke MD, Ryan Hoffman LMFT, Evan Sola PsyD, Renee Razzano LCSW, Frank Ehrenfried LMFT. Individual rate not published.
source ↗ - Certificate requirements
Foundational Modules 1–5 + Practice Module; any 2 of Advanced 6/7/8, Healing the Healer, Music, Rainfall Medical, Integration, Ethics, ACT; 12 group consultation sessions; 12 individual consultation sessions with letters of recommendation from both consultants; one Polaris/Rainfall experiential practicum retreat or approved alternative ('1 individual Holotropic breathwork session and 2 group Holotropic breathwork sessions; 5-day Grof Transpersonal Training retreat; 4-day shamanic healing training intensive'); 'minimum of 18 KAP sessions with at least 3 different clients'; a 3–5 page 'Reflection of Personal Process and Development as a Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapist'; and an administrative processing fee. Graduates are eligible for listing in the Polaris/Rainfall KAP Practitioner Directory.
source ↗
Who teaches it
Faculty is a large part of what these programs actually sell, and it changes between cohorts — check the current list before you decide on this basis.
- Harvey Schwartz, PhD — lead trainer; teaches Module 1 and the practicum retreats
- Veronika Gold, LMFT — co-founder and lead trainer; also facilitates a Monday consultation group; the most visible public face of the program
- Eric Sienknecht, PsyD — co-founder and lead trainer; facilitates a Tuesday consultation group and is a Polaris-approved individual consultant
- Steve Rosonke, MD and Robert Voloshin, DO — the medical side, including Rainfall Medicine's Medical Module and retreat medical oversight
- Renee Razzano, LCSW, Ryan Hoffman, LMFT, Evan Sola, PsyD, Frank Ehrenfried, LMFT — Polaris-approved individual consultants (the people who sign your certificate letters of recommendation)
- Guest faculty across 20+ trainers includes Joseph McCowan PsyD, Chris Stauffer MD, George Greer MD, Kelley O'Donnell MD PhD, Chantelle Thomas PhD, Jessica Katzman PsyD, Kelan Thomas-adjacent clinicians and others
- Institutional lineage worth knowing: 'Our founding members are all MAPS... trained clinicians who have provided treatment in both Phase 2 and Phase 3 clinical trials of MDMA-assisted psychotherapy for PTSD. The lead trainers have studied with Ketamine Training Center and KRIYA Institute.'
What people say about it
Quoted with the source attached in every case, including the program’s own claims about itself — which are labeled as such — and the critical ones.
Where it stands right now
Enrolling — verified 2026-08-06. Module 1 dates listed for 10 September and 5 November 2026; the 2026 Cohort is announced as 'starting in September' with Session 1 on 11 September 2026 and Session 12 on 9 March 2027; 2026 practicum retreats listed for 7–11 August (Berkeley, CA) and 14–18 October (Portland, OR), with the Advanced retreat TBA. Sources: https://training.polarisinsight.com/module-1 and https://training.polarisinsight.com/cohort and https://training.polarisinsight.com/practicum-retreats
What I could not establish
These are the things I looked for and could not establish. Take them to the program, and notice how quickly and precisely they answer.
- The five-day practicum retreat fee is not published anywhere on either polarisinsight.com or training.polarisinsight.com — and it is a required certificate component. Store pages exist for a retreat application fee and scholarship balances but list no amounts. This is the single largest unknown in the total cost.
- The individual-consultation rate is not published; only the group rate ($900/6 months) is. The certificate requires 12 individual sessions.
- The certificate 'Administrative Processing Fee' amount is not published.
- Polaris does not state in plain words that trainees receive ketamine at the practicum retreat. The inference here rests on the retreat's own promise of learning 'through direct experience about the medical, biological, psychological, transpersonal, and phenomenological aspects of the ketamine experience', the medical contraindication screening, the Rainfall Medicine (medical clinic) partnership, and participant testimonials referring to 'my own journey content'. Confirm directly with training@polarisinsight.com before assuming.
- Whether the practicum retreat cost includes lodging and meals is not stated.
- No independent third-party reviews, journalism, or forum discussion of Polaris training could be retrieved in this environment (search engines and Reddit were blocked). All qualitative material here is either program-published or from Journey Clinical, a commercial partner-adjacent platform.
- Total CE hours obtainable across the whole certificate pathway are not aggregated anywhere; they have to be added up module by module, and the retreat carries none.
Sources for this page (18)
- Polaris Insight Center — Training Program for Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (structure, full module list, 40+ trainers)
- Polaris — Foundational Series ($1,950 for Modules 1–5 + Practice Module)
- Polaris — Module 1 (price, CE, learning objectives, cancelation policy, and the verbatim APA/California BBS CE statement)
- Polaris — Advanced Series (Modules 6–8)
- Polaris — Special Topics Series
- Polaris — Certificate program requirements (18 KAP sessions, 12+12 consultation, retreat, essay)
- Polaris — 2026 Cohort ($2,450, 52 hours, 44 CE for $350, session dates, topic list)
- Polaris — Practicum Retreats (five-day, Rainfall Medicine, 2026 Berkeley and Portland dates, contraindications, no CE)
- Polaris — Consultation (groups $900/6 months; approved individual consultants)
- Polaris — About KAP Training (opened 2018, 2,000+ clinicians trained, MAPS Phase 2/3 lineage)
- Polaris — Training Testimonials
- Journey Clinical — How to Become a Psychedelic Therapist in 2026 (collaborating-prescriber model, scope-of-practice boundary, accepted trainings)
- Journey Clinical — For psychotherapists (membership $150/month or $1,500/year vs list $200/mo and $1,800/yr; accepts CIIS, Polaris, MAPS, Fluence, Alchemy for the didactic portion; 'most therapists see clients within 3 months')
- Journey Clinical — Patient-side pricing (per-dosing-session figures, insurance networks)
- Oregon Psilocybin Services — Current Active Psilocybin Training Programs (Polaris not listed; checked 2026-08-06)
- Colorado DORA — Approved Natural Medicine Training Programs (Polaris not listed; checked 2026-08-06)
- California Health & Safety Code §11054 — Schedule I includes psilocybin and LSD
- Lykos Therapeutics — expanded access page, confirming MDMA-assisted therapy remains investigational and unapproved as of 2026