Involvement in the Community

Dr. Ryan and Dr. Jeanne Sandheinrich have been attending St. Gerard Majella in Kirkwood, MO since 2010. Since the church had so many children and they were welcomed with open arms, they wanted to give back right away!

Soccer, of course!

It all started with coaching a 2nd grade boys soccer team in 2010. Dr. Ryan and Dr. Jeanne coached the team for 3 years, and had tons of fun with them. During their second year of coaching, they were asked to start coaching a Lou Fusz girls team. They Coached the girls from 2012-2016. Soccer has been a huge part of their lives, and it continues to be today. As their family started to grow, they decided to give up coaching, for now, to spend time together as a family on the weekends.

Other Involvements

Dr. Ryan and Dr.Jeanne are also involved in other groups and activities within their Kirkwood church. Being a part of their church community is incredibly fulfilling for them.  Dr. Ryan and Dr.  Jeanne’s other involvements include: volunteering with the youth group, volunteering at fish fries, participating in the Men’s Club and tree lot, Marian Guild, auction committee, Parents of Little Spirits. They also have attended an amazing retreat called ACTS which relit their faith and brought them closer together and closer to God. Dr. Ryan has also served on the ACTS team that puts on the retreat. He was really surprised at how many men come together to make it all happen. He was inspired to see so many men outwardly show their love of their faith. After Dr. Ryan’s first retreat he came home and made a promise to Dr. Jeanne that they would attend weekly Sunday mass together as a family from now on. Dr. Jeanne was pleased and hopes to serve on an ACTS retreat soon to continue to grow in her faith.

Youth Group

At St. Gerard, Dr. Jeanne loves to hang out with the youth group. She has been involved in the Luke 18 retreat weekend since 2014. She helps guide high school students, that will be putting on the retreat for the 7th/8th graders of the parish. Dr. Jeanne really enjoys this because it is amazing to see the strong faith in these young people.

As Their Family Continues to Grow

As Dr. Ryan and Dr. Jeanne’s family continues to grow, their involvement at SGM does too. Their son attends preschool there and has a blast. Dr. Ryan has hosted health talk events at the parish to discuss the benefits of good food and the role it plays in overall health. Dr. Jeanne has been working hands on with teachers at SGM, educating them on how to recognize sensory processing issues and the benefits of sensory toys and exercises. Many teachers have reported an obvious improvement in classroom behavior and learning when applying these Next Step exercises before more focused curriculum.

Education in the Community

Dr. Ryan, Dr. Jeanne, and Dr. Jana give wellness talks to various community groups. These groups range from moms groups, to church groups, to business groups. They often host classes at their office in Kirkwood too. Some of the topics include: Nutrition, Home Remedies, How to Raise a Healthy  Family, The Power of the Nervous System, Stress Relief, and various other topics. Both doctors love to share their knowledge, and get the information out to as many people as possible. These classes are a fantastic resource to the Kirkwood and St. Louis community members. So feel free to come on by!

Public events:

• Sensory Santa Event
• Yoga for all ages
• Mom’s meet ups
• Sensory Events
• Whole Food Co-Op
• Mom’s Market
• Birth Classes
• Fitness Classes
• Pathways Connect Group
• Babywearing groups
• International Cesarean Awareness Network (ICAN) groups