Myofunctional Therapy

Breathe better, feel better.

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First

Specialist functional therapy for better breathing, sleep and jaw comfort — online and across Greater Manchester & the Midlands.

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Myofunctional therapy (OMT) retrains the tongue, lips and facial muscles to support nasal breathing, healthier swallowing and jaw stability. It can help with mouth breathing, snoring, TMJ pain and more. Learn how it works and what to expect.

Teeth grinding / Bruxism illustration
Breathe First therapy

Breathe First can help:

  • Achieve better quality sleep
  • Relieve headaches and jaw pain at the source
  • Increase in energy levels

Areas we Support

We help clients improve breathing habits, oral posture, and muscle function through functional, evidence-based therapy.

Jaw Discomfort and TMJD

Jaw pain, stiffness, clicking, headaches, or difficulty opening your mouth? TMJD affects daily life, but targeted therapy can help restore comfort and function.

Mouth Breathing

Breathing with an open mouth can cause dry mouth, fatigue, and facial changes. Therapy retrains nasal breathing for better health and aesthetics.

Tongue Tie / Oral Restriction

A restricted tongue can affect speech, swallowing, and breathing. Therapy improves mobility and function for better oral health.

Sleep Disordered Breathing

Interrupted breathing during sleep can cause snoring, fatigue, and poor oxygen flow. Therapy supports better airway function for restful sleep.

Tongue Thrust

Pushing the tongue forward when swallowing can affect speech, teeth alignment, and jaw development. Therapy retrains tongue posture for better oral health.

Thumb Sucking & Habit Remediation

Thumb sucking, pacifier overuse, or lip and cheek biting can affect teeth alignment and jaw development. Therapy helps break habits.

Sensory Integration

Helps the brain and body work together for better coordination and focus. Therapy supports oral and breathing patterns for improved well-being.

Malocclusion / Orthodontic Retention

Misaligned teeth can cause jaw pain and chewing issues. Without support, teeth may shift after treatment. Therapy helps maintain alignment.

Speech

Supports clear speech by addressing articulation, phonology, motor speech disorders, voice issues, and stammering. Therapy improves communication and confidence.

Feeding

Supports the chewing and swallowing process for safe, efficient eating. Therapy improves oral coordination, strength, and sensory awareness.

Meet the team

Emily Kirkcaldy portrait

Emily Kirkcaldy

Highly Specialist SALT, OMT, BBM, YTM (DIP)

I’m Emily, the Owner and Lead Clinician at Breathe First with over 20 years of experience as a Speech and Language Therapist, dedicating the last 5 years to airway focus and oral restrictions/dysfunction. I pride myself on a high quality of patient care, with trust at the centre of the therapeutic relationship.

Maureen Segree portrait

Maureen Segree

SALT, OMT

I’m Maureen, I am a Specialist Speech and Language Therapist with 30 years of experience, also specialising in Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy. I’m passionate about helping clients improve communication and oral function.

Alice Spencer portrait

Alice Spencer

Specialist SALT, OMT and BBM

I’m Alice, a therapist specialising in myofunctional therapy and speech and language development, with training in the Buteyko Breathing Method. I use a holistic, evidence-based approach to improve breathing, oral function, and communication for better overall health.

Katie Harp portrait

Katie Harp

SALT, OMT

I’m a qualified myofunctional therapist with over 16 years’ experience as a speech and language therapist, specialising in dysphagia and neurological communication disorders. I’m passionate about providing high-quality, evidence-based support.

Natalie Golden portrait

Natalie Golden

RDH, OMT

I’m Natalie, a Registered Dental Hygienist with 25 years of clinical experience. I also practise Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy (OMT), supporting children and adults to improve their breathing, oral posture, and overall function.

Amy Schofield portrait

Amy Schofield

BSc (Hons) MRCSLT, HCPC, MASLTIP

I’m Amy, a Specialist Speech and Language Therapist with over 13 years of experience. I specialise in speech sound disorders and Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy (OMT). I’m passionate about developing oral function and communication to support people’s health and overall wellbeing.

Helen Fraser portrait

Helen Fraser

SALT, OMT

I’m Helen, a Speech and Language Therapist with over 18 years of clinical experience and specialist training in myofunctional therapy. I offer a warm, personalised approach to evidence-based care, supporting people to enhance their quality of life.

Sophie Harkness portrait

Sophie Harkness

SALT, OMT

I’m Sophie, a Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist with expertise in airway disorders and dysphagia. I’m currently undertaking a PhD focused on unexplained swallowing difficulties. I’m passionate about supporting my patients with thoughtful, evidence-based care.

What patients say

★★★★★

Emily has been and continues to be a monumental help to my child who has complex needs and suffers with a jaw that has locked. We were told he needed surgery to fix it and with Emily's help he's managing to open it once again and begin to learn how to use it again , with hopefully no need for surgery. He immediately took to Emily and trusted her which has meant he's had the most out of all her sessions. She's also helped hugely with his communication.

Laura Smith
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★★★★★

Emily was so helpful and supportive with our 7 month old baby. She reccomended plenty of exercises and shared with us a lot of knowledge that helped us so much.

Isabel
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★★★★★

Excellent service.Thorough and detailed assessment.Top quality coaching to learn the myofunctional exercises I required.I have personally noticed reduced TMJ pain as well as improved digestion.

Matthew Hale
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★★★★★

I have been having myotherapy with Emily for 3 months now and the therapy has been a huge help with the swallowing issues and TMJ pain I experience. Emily is both knowledgeable and patient and she has helped me to understand the causes of my presentation.

M Segree
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★★★★★

Emily has worked with my 9yo daughter for the past 8 months and has been absolutely brilliant. I would wholeheartedly recommend her.I came to her because I was concerned that my daughter's consistent mouth breathing was affecting her teeth and her sleep, which was poor quality. She was frequently waking at night and was waking up lethargic in the mornings.Emily has got my daughter to completely re-pattern her breathing to nose breathing, which has affected everything - her posture, her energy, her sleep and now the development of her mouth and jaw. Now, my daughter sleeps soundly and wakes up refreshed and with energy for the day.It's a commitment to do the mouth exercises from week to week but Emily is so lovely and helpful and if you're willing to put in the work, you'll get the results. Emily is there every step of the way to help and really knows her stuff.I knew nothing about myofunctional therapy before starting on this journey, but it's been the best investment of time, money and energy ever - just do it!

Laura Gilchrist
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★★★★★

Emily has been providing my son with Myofunctional Therapy, SLT and Breathing Therapy. She has been amazing in every way and every step. My son is one of most complex case, so seeing the light at the end of the tunnel is incredible. When we met Emily, no one understood what my son said, now they do. Emily has also a vast knowledge of learning disability, autism, so her explanations, demos and expectations were clear and achievable.

Alice Martin
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You’re in good hands

Breathe First’s teams have over 20 Years of experience in SALT, AOMT & Buteyko Breathing.

About Us
20+
Years of experience
5
Specialisms

Approved & certified by

BSMFT Approved Approved by
Buteyko Certified Instructor Certified Instructor
British Institute of Orofacial Myology YTM Diploma (Level 3)
RCSLT Member Member of
HCPC Registered Registered
The Breathe Institute Ambassador Member of
Myo Munchee Certified Practitioner Certified Practitioner
Myo Munchee Bebe Certified Myo Munchee Bebe Certified
Walt Fritz Manual Therapy Certified Practitioner

Flexible treatment

Life is busy and that is why we are flexible with providing therapy online. Typically we ask for an initial face-to-face consultation.

Online therapy session

Online

consultation available

Face to face clinic

Face to face

clinic available

Breathe First team

Myofunctional Therapist or Want to Become One?

Ready to advance beyond traditional dental hygiene or speech therapy? Breathe First equips you with the skills to create real impact while enjoying:

  • Flexible Hours (online)
  • A Supportive, Expert-Led team environment
  • Opportunities in a Rapidly Growing Field
Find out more