Our Team
At Polaris Therapy Group, our team is intentionally curated—not just for clinical excellence, but for alignment, presence, and perspective. Each clinician brings a distinct approach, allowing us to thoughtfully connect every client with the right fit from the start.
We believe the quality of the relationship shapes the outcome. That’s why we prioritize connection, trust, and precision in how we match and support each individual—so your care feels grounded, personalized, and built to move you forward.
Chris Risner
Founder / Chief Clinical Officer / Your Friendly Neighborhood Therapist.
Chris is a co-founder of Polaris Therapy Group and a behavioral health professional with a background rooted in both clinical work and mentorship.
He earned his undergraduate degree from Berea College, where he double majored in Philosophy and Psychology. After graduating, he explored a range of paths - including carpentry, working with individuals experiencing traumatic brain injuries, and serving as a teaching assistant. Across each of these roles, he consistently found himself stepping into mentorship, helping others navigate challenges and find direction.
That pattern ultimately led him back to psychology.
Chris went on to earn his Master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Eastern Kentucky University and has been practicing since 2016. He began his career in substance use treatment, where he recognized early on that the challenges bringing individuals into therapy are rarely isolated. Substance use, trauma, grief, anxiety, and life stressors are often deeply interconnected.
His work has since evolved to focus on these underlying patterns, with a strong emphasis on trauma, emotional regulation, and long-term personal growth.
Chris takes a client-centered approach to therapy, integrating Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT), existential therapy, and humanistic perspectives. His philosophy is grounded in treating the individual - not the diagnosis - recognizing that each person brings a unique set of experiences, beliefs, and challenges into their treatment.
In practice, he focuses on identifying patterns, understanding the relationship between thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, and helping clients create meaningful, sustainable change. His work emphasizes personal recovery, improving self-esteem, challenging unhelpful thought patterns, and building a clearer sense of direction and purpose.
As a co-founder of Polaris Therapy Group, Chris believes that effective therapy requires both depth and intentionality - balancing insight with practical application. His approach reflects a broader philosophy that meaningful change happens when individuals are supported in understanding themselves while also being challenged to move forward.
At the core of his work is a simple belief: you are not broken, and you do not need to be fixed. Therapy is not about repair - it's about making intentional changes so you can live a life that feels more aligned and stable. A life of your own.
When the mind and the heart begin moving in the same direction, that’s where real progress begins.
John Wesley
Founder / CEO
John Wesley is a behavioral health professional and founder of Polaris Therapy Group, specializing in evidence-based care for, trauma, substance use, and high-pressure life transitions.
At Polaris, he brings a structured, results-driven approach to both clinical work and program development. His therapeutic approach integrates Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and psychodynamic principles—focusing on emotional regulation, behavioral change, and translating insight into real-world progress.
John is known for a direct, grounded style that balances awareness and accountability with support. He works with individuals whose who feel stuck in patterns, helping them develop a greater understanding and practical skills while also addressing the underlying drivers of those patterns.
In addition to his clinical work, John has extensive experience in building and refining behavioral health programs, with a focus on quality, compliance, and sustainable growth. His approach reflects a broader philosophy: effective systems and high standards of care are essential to producing meaningful outcomes.
He believes therapy should provide both depth and direction—equipping clients with insight, structure, and tools they can consistently apply in their daily lives.