Mariam Jensen

I am a Licensed Clinical Marriage and Family Therapist (LCMFT), in the State of Kansas, and a Registered Play Therapist®️ (RPT) with the Association for Play Therapy. I earned my Master of Science degree with highest honors (Summa cum laude), in Family Therapy, from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, FL. To earn the credential of Registered Play Therapist®️, and specialize in working with children, I received extensive training, clinical experience working with children, and clinical supervision in Play Therapy. To be specific, at the time of earning my Registered Play Therapist®️ credential in September of 2020, I completed 150 hours of Specialized Play Therapy training over the period of a year, simultaneously with completing approximately 961 hours of clinical experience working with children in the school setting as a School-Based Therapist, and approximately 81 hours of clinical supervision in Play Therapy, over the period of 14 months. At Joyful Heart Therapy, LLC, I specialize and work primarily with children, ages 3 to 9 years old. I am especially passionate about working with children and their families, on their journey to hope and healing, through individual and family mental health therapy services. I work closely with the parents/caregivers of the child clients I work with, to provide the needed support and resources, so that the therapy for the child can have the most beneficial and effective outcomes, and for change to be maintained in the home environment and other environments. In my clinical practice, I do use evidence-based Play Therapy modalities, including Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT) and Theraplay®️ Therapy modalities. Child-Centered Play Therapy (CCPT) provides children with a means of expressing their inner thoughts and feelings. CCPT gives children a comfortable and safe space with a trained professional, in a Play Therapy Room, to express significant emotional experiences, including trauma, anxiety, fears, and grief and loss, in a way that is not overwhelming and is age and developmentally appropriate. I believe play enables children to distance themselves from stressful and traumatic events and experiences, all while processing through them and internally resolving them. I have also completed 25 hours of training in Level One: Theraplay & Marschak Interaction Method (MIM) offered by the Theraplay Institute. Theraplay®️ is an evidence-based, relationship-focused play therapy modality that integrates current theories of attachment, physiological state, emotion regulation, and interpersonal neurobiology, that is based on the power of face-to-face synchronized, reciprocal play between a child and their caregiver. I also use other evidence-based therapy modalities, including but not limited to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Narrative Therapy, and Solution-Focused Therapy, through playful directive interventions. I utilize play as the catalyst for change in therapy. Children understand things, but they do not always know how to put them into words, because children’s cognitive development surpasses their ability to verbalize their feelings and needs through words. Children can better express their awareness of experiences, feelings, and needs, through the language of play. Through the child’s natural language of play, I work on building a safe and non-judgmental therapeutic relationship with the child, so that children can freely and naturally express both what pleases and bothers them. Through the language of play, communication gaps between children and their family members are bridged, to help attend to the child’s needs, as children can speak the unspeakable, and process through thoughts and feelings that they cannot verbalize otherwise. I do believe that each person is very unique, that my child clients are resourceful, and know how to make change happen in their life, with the support that they receive in therapy. With a strength-based and solution-focused perspective, I curiously explore what has been successful in the past, and explore new healthier possibilities that work the best for my clients in the present and the future, so that they can reach their highest and full potential in all areas of life. I also believe that the therapeutic relationship, between the child/family and the therapist, is the most important factor for any growth to happen. Please call the direct office phone number at 316-779-4337 or fill in the Secure Contact Form to ask for a referral, and determine if I am a good fit for your child and family's needs.