Johanna Frisch, founder and owner

Spaces are the harbors of our habits. They shape our days and reflect our inner experiences.

Through Thistle & Amber, I work alongside individuals, businesses, and organizations to create spaces that support health and everyday goodness. My process is rooted in mindfulness, reiki, clear listening, and a deep respect for how physical environments impact holistic well-being.

Often called space therapy, my work focuses on clearing obstacles and bringing fresh energy to the places we inhabit—homes, apartments, businesses, offices, hospitals, schools, and community spaces—anywhere life unfolds. I’m especially drawn to moments of transition, when a shift in space can open the door to healing, rest, renewal, resilience, creativity, and connection.

My foundation in design runs deep. I learned and practiced alongside my mother, a home economics teacher and folk artist, and studied textiles and apparel design in Minneapolis. I later moved to Los Angeles, where I raised a family while expanding into graphic design and deepening my work in the healing arts. It was there that I studied and shared yoga, mindfulness, and reiki, and began to experience how these practices and my sensitivity to space design were deeply connected.

After working on a historic estate in Denmark, I returned to Minnesota with a deep appreciation for the philosophy of hygge—spaces that foster comfort and connection through four distinct seasons. For the past six years, I’ve been exploring and developing space therapy in the Driftless Region, and I’m now grateful to be expanding my day-to-day life and work in the Twin Cities.