Mariam Jensen, LCMFT, RPT - Joyful Heart Therapy, LLC

Mariam Jensen, LCMFT, RPT - Joyful Heart Therapy, LLC Mariam offers individual and family therapy to children and their families.

Mariam Jensen is 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.

One of the things I love about Child-Centered Play Therapy is how it invites us to slow down and really see the child be...
08/10/2026

One of the things I love about Child-Centered Play Therapy is how it invites us to slow down and really see the child beyond the problem and the behavior đź’›

Dr. Garry Landreth, in the excerpt below, from his renowned book, Play Therapy, The Art of the Relationship - 4th Edition, explains that in Child-Centered Play Therapy, and in the playroom, a child may bring anxiety, anger, grief, big behaviors, or difficult experiences into their play—but those things are not the whole child.

We don’t have to limit a child to a diagnosis, a behavior, or a difficult chapter in their story. Through the therapeutic relationship, we can communicate: I see you. I’m interested in you. You are more than what you’re struggling with.

That shift—from focusing primarily on the problem to being present with the person—is such an important part of the healing process 🌱

Children are so much more than what has happened to them. Being truly seen is a powerful place to begin.

Dr. Garry Landreth, in the excerpt below, from his renowned book, Play Therapy, The Art of the Relationship - 4th Editio...
08/07/2026

Dr. Garry Landreth, in the excerpt below, from his renowned book, Play Therapy, The Art of the Relationship - 4th Edition, explains that Child-Centered Play Therapy is built on the belief that the therapeutic relationship—not techniques or directives—is the primary agent of change. The Eight Basic Principles, originally developed by Virginia Axline, continue to guide play therapists in creating a relationship where children feel accepted, understood, and safe enough to express themselves freely.

Rather than focusing on “fixing” the child or solving the problem, CCPT trusts a child’s natural capacity for growth when they are met with empathy, acceptance, and respect. These principles are just as relevant today as they were when they were first introduced and remain the foundation of child-centered play therapy. 💛

When people think of play therapy, it can look like a child is “just playing.”Dr. Garry Landreth, in the excerpt below, ...
08/06/2026

When people think of play therapy, it can look like a child is “just playing.”

Dr. Garry Landreth, in the excerpt below, from his renowned book, Play Therapy, The Art of the Relationship - 4th Edition, explains that in Child-Centered Play Therapy, children choose the toys, the story, and the pace. Rather than directing the play, the therapist follows the child’s lead. Those everyday decisions help children practice trusting themselves, solving problems, developing decision-making skills, and discovering strengths they may not even realize they have.

The most meaningful growth happens when a child is simply given the freedom to be themselves in a safe, accepting therapeutic relationship đź’›

When I first learned Child-Centered Play Therapy, one of the hardest shifts was realizing I didn’t have to have all the ...
08/05/2026

When I first learned Child-Centered Play Therapy, one of the hardest shifts was realizing I didn’t have to have all the answers. My role isn’t to push a child toward a goal I think is most important—it’s to create a relationship where they feel safe enough to show me what they need, in their own time. That’s not always easy, but time and time again, children remind me why trust is such a powerful part of the therapeutic process💛

One of the things I love most about Child-Centered Play Therapy is that it reminds me my job isn’t to change a child—it’...
08/04/2026

One of the things I love most about Child-Centered Play Therapy is that it reminds me my job isn’t to change a child—it’s to truly know them, and that’s what help them make positive change happen in their life.

Dr. Garry Landreth, in the excerpt below, from his renowned book, Play Therapy, The Art of the Relationship - 4th Edition, explains that in Child-Centered Play Therapy, when children experience someone who is willing to understand their world without rushing to fix, direct, or judge, something meaningful begins to unfold. They discover that it’s safe to be themselves 💛

Dr. Garry Landreth, in the excerpt below, from his renowned book, Play Therapy, The Art of the Relationship - 4th Editio...
08/03/2026

Dr. Garry Landreth, in the excerpt below, from his renowned book, Play Therapy, The Art of the Relationship - 4th Edition, explains that one of the foundational beliefs of Child-Centered Play Therapy is that children have an innate capacity for growth when they experience a relationship built on genuine acceptance, empathy, and trust.

Rather than directing children toward solutions, the therapist creates an environment where they are free to explore, express themselves, and discover their own strengths. As children experience being accepted for who they are—not for what they do—they often begin to develop a healthier sense of self, greater confidence, and increased resilience.

The therapeutic relationship isn’t just part of the process—it is the foundation that makes growth possible, and as Dr. Landreth says “the relationship is the therapy”🌱🌷

Dr. Garry Landreth, in the excerpt below, from his renowned book, Play Therapy, The Art of the Relationship - 4th Editio...
08/02/2026

Dr. Garry Landreth, in the excerpt below, from his renowned book, Play Therapy, The Art of the Relationship - 4th Edition, reminds us that in Child-Centered Play Therapy, it’s easy to feel like the therapist should always be doing something—asking the right question, finding the perfect response, or helping the child get to the “important part.”

But children don’t need to rush the moment. They need the therapist to be fully present in it.

When the therapist slows down enough to truly be with a child, the relationship grows. And it is within that therapeutic relationship that the deepest healing begins đź’›

Dr. Garry Landreth, in the excerpt below, from his renowned book, Play Therapy, The Art of the Relationship - 4th Editio...
07/31/2026

Dr. Garry Landreth, in the excerpt below, from his renowned book, Play Therapy, The Art of the Relationship - 4th Edition, explains that in Child-Centered Play Therapy, the therapeutic relationship isn’t something the therapist has to manufacture—it’s something the therapist gets to be fully present for.

Child-Centered Play Therapy isn’t about having the perfect response or solving every problem in the moment. It’s about slowing down, being fully present with the child, and trusting that genuine connection has the power to heal.

The most meaningful work happens when we stop trying to get somewhere… and simply meet the child exactly where they are 💛

Sometimes it’s easy to wonder if a therapist is “doing enough” in the playroom.Dr. Garry Landreth, in the excerpt below,...
07/30/2026

Sometimes it’s easy to wonder if a therapist is “doing enough” in the playroom.

Dr. Garry Landreth, in the excerpt below, from his renowned book, Play Therapy, The Art of the Relationship - 4th Edition, explains that in Child-Centered Play Therapy, children don’t heal because the therapist has the perfect advice or the right answers. They grow when they experience a relationship where they feel deeply understood, accepted, and safe enough to be themselves.

When a child consistently experiences warmth, empathy, and genuine connection, they begin to trust something incredibly important—their own ability to grow, solve problems, and move toward healing.

That’s one of the things I love most about child-centered play therapy. The relationship isn’t just part of the process…it is the therapy 💛

Dr. Garry Landreth, in the excerpt below, from his renowned book, Play Therapy, The Art of the Relationship - 4th Editio...
07/30/2026

Dr. Garry Landreth, in the excerpt below, from his renowned book, Play Therapy, The Art of the Relationship - 4th Edition, explains that in Child-Centered Play Therapy, the most meaningful part of play therapy isn’t having the answers—it’s being willing to sit with a child in the unknown. The therapist doesn’t rush ahead, push them forward, or try to “fix” what’s hard. The therapist simply stay with them, trusting that when they feel safe enough, they’ll take the next step in their own time. Then the therapist will follow.

That kind of presence can be more powerful than we often realize đź’ś

Address

2420 N Woodlawn Boulevard, Building 100, Suite K
Wichita, KS
67220

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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