I never set out to be a pioneer. And yet—here I stand, in awe and gratitude—walking a path I never could have predicted: bringing the wisdom of plant medicine to women sixty and beyond.
We are the generation of sages. The age of wisdom is awakening. No longer defined by decline, we are stepping into a season where the brain can thrive, the spirit can expand, and life itself can be savored with depth and vitality. Emerging research shows what our ancestors always knew—that psilocybin holds remarkable potential to nurture not only emotional well-being, but also brain health, longevity and our connection to the spirit realm.
For women moving into the age of the sage, plant medicine offers more than healing, it offers remembering. A deep remembering of who we are, of the wholeness we carry, and the expansiveness of our true selves.
Psilocybin as Medicine for the Soul
The journey of midlife and beyond is often framed as a slow fade into irrelevance, loss, or decline. But this narrative is incomplete and outdated. Neuroscience now shows us that the brain remains plastic throughout our lifespan—it can grow new connections, heal old pathways, and even sharpen with intentional practice. Psilocybin, not only, has been shown to reduce inflammation in the brain, stimulate neurogenesis, and support resilience against age-related decline, it also invites us into our wisdom.
Beyond the science, psilocybin reminds us of what indigenous traditions and ancestral lineages have always known: that there are portals to deeper wisdom within us, and plant medicine can help open them. For women, especially in the sage years, these portals lead us back to a profound connection with ourselves, with each other, and with the natural world.
Medicine in the Midst of Illness
For me, this path became deeply personal when I was diagnosed with cancer. Like so many women, the diagnosis cracked me open, forcing me to face my own mortality, my own fears, and the fragility of this precious human life. Conventional medicine offered treatment for my body—but it could not soothe the existential anguish, the grief, or the longing for meaning that came with my illness.
It was psilocybin that gave me what medicine alone could not. With the medicine of mushrooms, I encountered a perspective beyond fear, beyond illness—a spiritual view that reminded me I am more than my diagnosis, more than my body, more than this moment of suffering. I experienced what researchers now describe so clearly: psilocybin can create a profound shift in outlook, dissolving anxiety and opening space for peace, acceptance, and even joy in the midst of disease.
My journey with this medicine allowed me to see cancer not just as an ending, but as an initiation—a threshold into a deeper way of living. I was able to find meaning, to reorient my life around what truly matters, and to feel held by a greater mystery that I could trust. Psilocybin did not take away the challenges of illness, but it gave me the perspective and the courage to walk through them with grace and meaning.
Healing in Community
I have now supported hundreds of women on their own psilocybin journeys—many of them navigating cancer diagnoses, others facing the changes of aging, grief, or major life transitions. The medicine works differently for each woman, but a common thread emerges: the experience of being deeply connected—to the earth, to spirit, to loved ones past and present, and to the truth of their own inner strength.
Research confirms what I have seen again and again: psilocybin reduces depression, anxiety, and existential distress in people living with cancer. But beyond the studies, there is something immeasurable that happens when women gather together in a safe, sacred space to heal and to remember. There is power in sitting in circle, sharing tears and laughter, and supporting each other as we step into the unknown.
A New Rite of Passage
For women over sixty, psilocybin can serve as a new rite of passage. Our culture has largely forgotten how to honor the wisdom years—how to celebrate the role of the elder, the sage, the guide. Instead, we are told to shrink, to quiet, to disappear. But with the support of plant medicine, women are remembering that this is not a time of diminishment—it is a time of expansion.
We are awakening to the truth that it is never too late to grow, to awaken, to thrive. Psilocybin helps us step fully into our role as wise women, carrying not only our personal stories but also the collective wisdom of generations. And for those of us facing illness, it allows us to walk with courage, dignity, and even joy into the mystery of what comes next.
Walking Together into the Mystery
It is my honor to create safe and sacred spaces for women to age—and sage—together. To walk with courage into the unknown, guided by ancient plant wisdom, modern science, and the timeless truth that life is beautiful and magical, even in its most difficult seasons.
We are the generation of sages. We are the women who will redefine what it means to grow older. And with psilocybin as our ally, we are remembering and returning to our deep inner wisdom. And in each of our individual awakening is our collective awakening.
-Heather
Heather A Lee, LCSW has over thirty years of clinical experience in women’s health and wellness and she is one of the nation’s first certified and licensed psychedelic psychotherapists. Her pioneering work with women and psilocybin was the feature of Lisa Ling’s CBS special on the Psychedelic Renaissance. Heather designs and delivers safe and soulful psilocybin retreats for women over sixty in Colorado, Mexico and Portugal. She is the Founder of www.medicinewomanretreats.com