Myofunctional Therapy
Breathe better, feel better.
Specialist functional therapy for better breathing, sleep and jaw comfort — online and across Greater Manchester & the Midlands.
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.
We help clients improve breathing habits, oral posture, and muscle function through functional, evidence-based therapy.
Jaw pain, stiffness, clicking, headaches, or difficulty opening your mouth? TMJD affects daily life, but targeted therapy can help restore comfort and function.
Breathing with an open mouth can cause dry mouth, fatigue, and facial changes. Therapy retrains nasal breathing for better health and aesthetics.
A restricted tongue can affect speech, swallowing, and breathing. Therapy improves mobility and function for better oral health.
Interrupted breathing during sleep can cause snoring, fatigue, and poor oxygen flow. Therapy supports better airway function for restful sleep.
Pushing the tongue forward when swallowing can affect speech, teeth alignment, and jaw development. Therapy retrains tongue posture for better oral health.
Thumb sucking, pacifier overuse, or lip and cheek biting can affect teeth alignment and jaw development. Therapy helps break habits.
Helps the brain and body work together for better coordination and focus. Therapy supports oral and breathing patterns for improved well-being.
Misaligned teeth can cause jaw pain and chewing issues. Without support, teeth may shift after treatment. Therapy helps maintain alignment.
Supports clear speech by addressing articulation, phonology, motor speech disorders, voice issues, and stammering. Therapy improves communication and confidence.
Supports the chewing and swallowing process for safe, efficient eating. Therapy improves oral coordination, strength, and sensory awareness.
A live 1-hour webinar for parents: learn how to spot mouth-breathing signs, build fun daily routines, and support healthier sleep and development. Includes printable habit tracker, early-warning guide, and live Q&A with Emily Kirkcaldy.
A 1-hour online session with lead Breathe First clinician, Emily Kirkcaldy. Learn why poor breathing habits affect sleep, and discover simple exercises & nightly routines to reduce snoring, mouth breathing, and grinding.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Breathe First have changed my life in the space of 3 months. At 34 I learned that my breathing was shallow and my tongue posture wasn't resting correctly. Emily took time to get to know me, to genuinely listen and interpret my challenges and my goals. I am neurodivergent and found this process informative and accessible.
Read full review on Google →Breathe First are fantastic and Emily is a kind, understanding and creative therapist. 6 months ago, it never even occurred to me that it would be possible to breathe through my nose due to my cleft lip and palate. Thanks to Emily's help, my brain has learnt to nose breathe even through the night and I wake up more refreshed.
Read review on Google →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.
Read review on Google →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, with hopefully no need for surgery.
Read review on Google →Emily has been very helpful to identify the root causes of the problem and set out a clear plan of action for myofunctional therapy. Since the therapy there has been a marked improvement in my son's tongue posture and ability to move his tongue correctly. I have also noticed a positive change of behaviour due to him getting a more rested sleep.
Read review on Google →I took my 2.5 year old to see Emily and I left feeling so relieved to finally have some answers and solutions. Emily made her session fun, engaging and child friendly and was very thorough with her assessment! We have age appropriate games to play and I feel like we're finally on the right tracks.
Read review on Google →Breathe First's teams have over 20 Years of experience in SALT, AOMT & Buteyko Breathing.
About Us
Approved by
Certified Instructor
YTM Diploma (Level 3)
Member of
Registered
Member of
Certified Practitioner
Myo Munchee Bebe Certified
Certified Practitioner
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
consultation available
Face to face
clinic available
Ready to advance beyond traditional dental hygiene or speech therapy? Breathe First equips you with the skills to create real impact while enjoying:
