About Us
Ari Brown is founder of and currently serves as CEO for Polaris Teen Center. Ari is a Licensed Administrator with the State of California Department of Social Services and has served as Administrator for The Ness Counseling Center, Inc. for 12 years. Ari stands supported by his years of administrative assignment and staff management of Licensed Therapists and Clinicians, Certified and Qualified substance abuse professionals and technical support staff. Duly noted is his daily personal contact and interactions with the human side of treatment which is where his dominate passion for being part of the world of recovery was born. “I have carried the dream for years of how I would be able to create something special that would cater to the needs of adolescents; this is what we offer at Polaris.”
Dr. Michelle Waters-Butler is a mental health professional who has spent nearly twenty years serving both administrative and therapeutic roles in the treatment of mental health disorders. As a behavioral healthcare leader, she has built a wealth of knowledge that translates across many disciplines.
Dr. Waters-Butler holds a doctorate in Clinical Psychology and has fulfilled various roles at the highest profile treatment centers in the country. As both a clinician and administrator, she has developed a comprehensive understanding of the residential treatment culture. Michelle has spent years providing group counseling, individual and family therapy, crisis management and intervention, relapse prevention, and multidisciplinary treatment planning. As co-creator of the Polaris program, she is dedicated to providing the best clinical care and environment for families and teens to heal.