A little bit of everything for an authentic life

1 January 1970

Thea Munch wears many hats: nurse, therapist, mentor, mother, creative spirit. She lives in Copenhagen with her husband Oscar, their son Pablo, and dog Mester. Her philosophy? A holistic life isn’t about perfection - it’s about finding the balance between mental and physical health, healthy food and desserts.

To begin, how would you describe yourself and the different roles you hold?

I love this question because it instantly brought me back to the bachelorette party my girlfriends threw for me before I married my husband in 2022. The theme was all the different ‘Theas’ I embody: Holistic Thea, Nurse Thea, Pub Thea, Copenhagen Thea, Fake-Nails Thea, Turkish Thea (my husband is Turkish), and so on.

That day became the perfect intermezzo of everything I love. For me, this is what holistic living truly means: a little bit of everything, never limiting, never extreme, and always with the intention of giving both mental and physical health equally important space.

Your career started in psychiatric nursing. What made you realize you wanted to explore more holistic approaches?

Working as a psychiatric nurse was a profound privilege, but over time I began to feel that something was missing. Prescribing pills to dull the symptoms of trauma, stress, and disregulated nervous systems started to feel inadequate. I wanted to flip the coin entirely: to address the root causes rather than simply treat the surface. That decision became the true beginning of my journey into holistic therapy. I enrolled in a holistic education focused on body therapy, mentoring, embodiment, nervous system regulation, Chinese medicine, healing….. the list is long, but it has shaped the way I live my life today.

How has motherhood shaped the way you understand health and healing?

The ugly things and the hard stuff are natural parts of our lives, and only when we sit down and face them, we heal — not only ourselves, but our children, too.

“The ugly things and the hard stuff are natural parts of our lives, and only when we sit down and face them, we heal.”

You believe the body carries its own intelligence. How does this philosophy guide your work with clients?

Our bodies were built to seek balance and homeostasis all on their own. This is important to keep in mind – especially in today’s society, where many imbalances (and entirely natural reactions) are treated as disorders, often driving otherwise healthy people into the hands of so-called experts who claim to have the eternal answer to everyone’s problems. I think we need to have faith in ourselves and our bodies, but it can be challenging with all the noise that impacts our lives: hormone-interfering substances, ultra-processed foods, excessive screen time, and so on…

Instead of treating the symptoms, I address the root cause: I help regulate the nervous system, so the body itself can move toward homeostasis. I believe a tense shoulder can release itself most effectively under gentle, soothing treatment. In my view, a deep or aggressive massage is not the way to loosen tension. Force against force is rarely the answer, if you ask me. This philosophy applies to several pillars of our lives!

“Instead of treating the symptoms, I address the root cause.”

Many of us live feeling disconnected from our bodies. What are some simple ways you help people reconnect?

I could say yoga, meditation, breath work, or cold plunges, but honestly, I think connection to oneself starts somewhere entirely different. To me, being connected means being transparent and honest with myself and my surroundings about my state of mind, what kinds of emotions I’m carrying, and facing the hard stuff. You can take plenty of supplements and do yin yoga on end, but if there’s something you’re running away from, you won’t find deep connection, I can almost guarantee that.

As a therapist and mentor, what do you find most rewarding about guiding others on their journeys?

My work is largely energetic, which means that my clients lean into my nervous system. I know this might sound a little abstract, but it’s actually basic physiology: our nervous systems are in constant dialogue. Through co-regulation, neuroception, and interoception, we naturally attune to one another. For me, the most rewarding part of guiding others is holding a space where a client’s body feels safe enough to soften, to regulate, and to find its own rhythm again. Witnessing that shift – the moment where someone drops a layer of tension they’ve carried for a long time – is something I really enjoy. It reminds me why I do this work in the first place, and it leaves me in a state of total peace and balance too!

You “walk the talk” in your everyday life. What rituals or habits are most essential for your own well-being?

Using food as fuel is probably my number one essential habit. Nutrient density in all of my meals is non-negotiable — luckily, this makes space for less than healthy snacks, too. I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes four years ago. It’s a chronic, autoimmune disease that requires close monitoring and awareness 24/7 on my part. It’s tough shit, honestly. I take insulin shots 10 ish times a day. I’m more inclined to catch illness and it takes me ages to recover from a simple cold. I’m more tired, and my body doesn’t tolerate stress. In all of this, I have learned so many things, the main one being: I have to fill my own cup first. Can’t pour from an empty one — and it’s my responsibility to respect this! I’m so thankful for this lesson, because I spent most of my twenties taking care of everyone else but myself. This is something I have truly brought into my practice today.

I hope to come across transparently and truly show others that holistic living is not all about matcha and meditation, but rather seeking the balance between mental & physical health, eating healthy while also devouring desserts, working out but also taking the elevator, etc. etc. To me, this is balance!

“I have learned so many things, the main one being: I have to fill my own cup first.”

For someone new to holistic health, what’s one small step they can take to begin?

Find peace in knowing that the hard stuff is inevitably a part of life, and those life events are the ones that truly make you expand and grow! No one ever grew from being content and happy all the time. It doesn’t have to be perfect, nothing has to be perfect. Don’t let social media fool you. Loosen your shoulders, take a deep breath, and dive into a topic that truly has your attention! It doesn’t have to be yoga or meditation — it could be plant medicine, polyvagal theory or something else. Go with your gut.

“Find peace in knowing that the hard stuff is inevitably a part of life, and those life events are the ones that truly make you expand and grow!”

Our work is about celebrating creativity, culture, and the rhythms of daily life. What’s one practice that helps you feel most at home in yourself right now?

Anything creative! I’m a creative spirit, whether it be drawing, painting, sewing, crocheting, embroidery, or my newest obsession: renovating dollhouses — this makes me feel grounded and focused on the present. I find myself leaning into these practices in the evening, when my son is asleep, and especially on rough days, because it’s like therapy to me: I can do my thing, use my hands, and go through the day in my mind, maybe even dwell and overthink a little… And then let go.

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