Who We Are

Founded in 2025 by Justine Topfer, Dr Lauren Macdonald, Shanae O’Leary, Dr Janelle Trees, and Scott Edwards, End Wise was established through shared clinical experience and personal encounters with loss.

Our Vision

At End Wise, we envision a future where compassionate, evidence-based psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) is integrated into palliative care as a safe, ethical, and accessible option for alleviating existential distress.

We see a future in which every Australian has access to holistic care that supports the mind, body, and spirit, helping to reduce suffering and restore meaning during life’s most vulnerable moments.

Our Mission

Our mission is to improve the quality of life for people facing life-limiting illness by advancing compassionate, evidence-based care that alleviates existential distress and its impact on physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual suffering.

We achieve this through research, education, advocacy, and collaboration. Our work focuses on building an evidence base, supporting clinician training, and engaging with policymakers to ensure safe, equitable access to compassionate, person-centred care.

Our Story

End Wise is a dedicated alliance of healthcare professionals committed to advancing the responsible integration of psychedelic-assisted therapy (PAT) into palliative care.

Grounded in compassion, evidence, and human dignity, End Wise works to enhance the quality of life for people facing life-limiting illness by supporting care that alleviates existential distress and its impact on physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual wellbeing.

We advocate for equitable access to psychedelic therapies, guided by rigorous clinical standards and ethical practice. Our vision is a future where every individual in palliative care can access the full spectrum of healing modalities, free from stigma, misinformation, and barriers to care.

Our story began with a shared belief that every person deserves the chance to approach death with peace, connection, and meaning.

Our Team

With diverse backgrounds and expertise, our team consists of physicians, therapists, legal experts, death doulas and community leaders with a shared commitment to transforming how we experience end of life.

  • Justine is a devoted practitioner of conscious end-of-life care, drawing deep inspiration from the majesty of nature, the tenderness of everyday rituals, and the rich complexity of human experience. She is a Death Doula at goodbye & hello, where she offers grounded, compassionate support through life’s most profound transitions. 

    Her journey into death work began in the clinical realm, with a Bachelor of Applied Science (Physiotherapy) from the University of Sydney and experience in palliative care at Sacred Heart Hospice in Darlinghurst. She has since deepened her practice through extensive training with respected leaders in the field, including Alua Arthur (Going with Grace), Zenith Virago (The Natural Death Care Centre), and Dr. Sarah Kerr (The Centre for Sacred Deathcare).

    Her approach is informed not only by professional training but also by intimate personal experience. The slow and premature loss of her father shaped her emotional and spiritual understanding of death, as did her ongoing commitment to Buddhism and Animism. 

    A qualified guide in psychedelic-assisted therapy (Certificate in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy, Mind Medicine Australia),  Justine believes in the transformative potential of psycho-spiritual care. She integrates this belief into her work to support individuals navigating illness, grief, and existential distress with presence, dignity, and reverence.

  • Dr. Lauren Macdonald is a psychiatry doctor, psychedelic therapy guide and group facilitator dedicated to bridging science and spirituality in service of whole-person healing and flourishing. She integrates Western medicine, psychotherapy, and traditional healing approaches to support individuals in reconnecting with themselves, others, and the natural world.

    As a clinical trial doctor and psychedelic therapist at The Centre for Psychedelic Research, Imperial College London, Lauren contributed to pioneering studies exploring psilocybin-assisted therapy for anorexia nervosa and fibromyalgia, and DMT for treatment-resistant depression. Alongside her clinical work, she facilitates group retreats and leads experiential training to advance the safe and ethical practice of psychedelic-assisted therapy. She is particularly passionate about the transformative power of the group model, recognising the depth of relational healing that can unfold within a supportive container and an ongoing community of care.

    With a background in psychology and medicine, Lauren has trained in holistic and somatic modalities, including mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), yoga, Compassionate Inquiry, and the MAPS MDMA-assisted therapy training. Her work is further informed by Earth-based wisdom traditions, blending scientific rigor with the wisdom of traditional healing practices.

  • Dr. Trees, a Goori (Dhanggati) woman and GP, is a dedicated healthcare professional, often serving as the sole doctor in remote areas of Western Australia and the Northern Territory, particularly within Aboriginal communities and on islands. With over thirty years of health experience, she teaches locally and internationally, specialising in Indigenous health and cultures, emphasizing the importance of Indigenous knowledge for humanity’s future.

    Dr. Trees initially trained in Traditional Chinese Medicine as an acupuncturist before pursuing science. She was the first Indigenous Honours graduate from the University of Sydney School of Medicine

    Currently working in hospital- and community-based palliative care, she is a graduate of Mind Medicine Australia's Certificate in Psychedelic Assisted Therapy, and a Faculty Member of that course.

    A former advocate for LGBTQ+ rights at the United Nations, she was a foundation member of the Australian Indigenous Doctors Association and the Indigenous GP Training Network. Dr. Trees continues to champion Indigenous values within educational systems.

    Beyond her medical career, she excels as an award-winning novelist in Magical Realism and Speculative Fiction.

  • Shanae O’Leary is a Registered Psychologist and Clinical Psychology Registrar. In her clinical work, she supports clients in navigating the effects of trauma, whether arising from childhood experiences or post-traumatic stress. She is particularly interested in how trauma can shape identity, relationships and emotional regulation and works with clients to process these experiences in a way that honours their pace and readiness. Using evidence-based approaches such as trauma-informed CBT, schema therapy and somatic-based therapies including mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), Shanae supports clients in developing insight, reconnecting with their inner strengths and restoring balance between body and mind.

    As part of her Master of Clinical Psychology, Shanae’s research thesis evaluated the potential of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy to alleviate existential distress among cancer patients. Through a systematic review of the literature, Shanae was drawn to psilocybin’s therapeutic effectiveness in addressing existential distress. Drawing on her research and clinical work, Shanae is committed to contributing to the evolving field of psychedelic therapy through her involvement in our recent TGA application to expand psilocybin’s medical use toward end-of-life care.

  • Scott is the Executive Officer of Mind Medicine Australia (MMA) and a somatic practitioner.

    He was a central team member of MMA’s advocacy initiatives that led to Australia being the first country in the world to reschedule MDMA and psilocybin, recognising them as medicines.

    He runs the organisation’s education and training program, centered around its Certificate in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapies.

    His somatic work focuses on facilitating and integrating altered states for individuals and groups using a variety of techniques appropriate for the ‘set and setting’.

  • Danielle Shirley is a registered pharmacist, Western herbal medicine practitioner, and certified psychedelic-assisted therapies clinician. With a professional background bridging conventional medicine and integrative health, Danielle is known as the “Herbal Pharmacist” for her passion in combining evidence-based pharmacology with nutrition, herbal medicine, and holistic lifestyle approaches to address complex and chronic health conditions.

    Her career purpose is to help individuals achieve healthier, more fulfilling lives through a balanced integration of modern medicine and the ancient wisdom of plant-based therapeutics. She is a strong advocate for bridging these modalities to deliver the best possible health outcomes.

    In recent years, Danielle has specialised in the clinical application of medicinal cannabis, working closely with prescribing doctors to educate, guide dosing, monitor treatment outcomes, and ensure patient access through legal frameworks. Her experience in patient care, practitioner education, and treatment optimisation positions her as a leader in emerging therapeutic fields.

    Her completion of  training in psychedelic-assisted therapies, has ignited a strong commitment to supporting organisations that expand safe, legal, and ethical access to psychedelic medicines to alleviate suffering. Danielle brings a collaborative mindset, deep clinical knowledge, and an empathetic, patient-focused approach—qualities that make her a valuable contributor to strategic growth in this evolving field.