It’s always been Jen Tietjen’s mission to support young families.
Tietjen, a pediatric nurse practitioner and mom of two, worked in pediatric primary care until the pandemic hit and she made the difficult decision to stay home with her daughters, who were 5 and 2 years old. It was during that time that she started to envision a new way to help parents and children.
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In early December, Tietjen opened Your Village STL (78-82 Clarkson Wilson Center), a new wellness center located in Chesterfield. There, Tietjen offers a range of services for both children and adults, such as lactation and nutrition counseling, pediatric occupational therapy, and pediatric sleep therapy. There’s also a play village where kids can make new friends, let loose, and allow their imaginations to run wild.
The play village is oriented in such a way that helps little ones feel like they’ve stepped into their own miniature town. Tables and chairs are located in the middle of the space to allow parents to see their children no matter where they are in the room. Drop-in play is available, and the play village can host birthday parties and classes, including yoga, infant massage, and more. It can also be utilized as childcare while parents visit with one of the health and wellness providers in the building.
“We don’t want people to worry while they’re here,” Tietjen said. “We just want them to come play, make a mess, and we’ll clean it up afterwards.”
Tietjen started looking for a place last fall, and signed the lease for the current location in January. Over the past year, she has worked to perfect the space for families. As you walk in the doors, the space feels airy, bright, and welcoming. Guests can grab refreshments at the coffee bar before taking advantage of all the offerings on site.
Her background in healthcare and her experience as a mother helped Tietjen form her vision for how she could best support families. A St. Louis native, Tietjen and her husband lived in Kansas City while she practiced at Children’s Mercy Hospital’s pediatric sleep clinic. But after having her first baby, the couple decided that it would be helpful to move home to St. Louis.
“I had my first daughter, and I really went through it,” Tietjen said. “We didn’t have family around, we didn’t have support around, and we decided we needed to move back to be closer to family again. The transition to parenthood is so difficult and it can be such a lonely place. So that’s where my passion and vision grew.”
Because she knows how it feels to not have a support system close by, Tietjen wants Your Village STL to be a dependable resource for families who are looking for health and wellness support, or are otherwise looking for a community.
“Everyone’s been so supportive and uplifting,” Tietjen said. “It’s scary to start a business, so just having other people around you that believe in what you’re trying to do has been awesome. The best part of doing all of this has been the people I’ve met along the way.”
Tietjen hopes that the space will continue to grow and flourish as she receives feedback from the St. Louis community.
“I get messages every day with more ideas, which I love, because this isn’t about me,” Tietjen said. “It’s about everyone else in the community and what they feel like they need in this space.”
Your Village STL offers open play hours for kids from 9 a.m.–1 p.m., Tuesday–Friday. To learn more about available health and wellness services, visit Your Village STL’s website.
