Myofunctional Therapy · Buteyko Breathing
Breathe better, feel better.
Specialist therapy for breathing, sleep and jaw comfort. Expert myofunctional therapy and Buteyko breathing re-training, online and across Greater Manchester & the Midlands.
Most patients come to us with overlapping issues — disrupted sleep, blocked breathing, jaw pain, anxiety. We use myofunctional therapy and Buteyko breathing, independently or together, to address the root cause.
Retrains the tongue, lips and facial muscles to support nasal breathing, healthier swallowing and stable jaw posture. Helps with mouth breathing, snoring, TMJ pain, sleep apnoea, tongue tie recovery and orthodontic stability.
Learn about myofunctional therapy →A clinically-led breathing re-training programme that corrects over-breathing patterns. Supports asthma, anxiety, sleep quality, snoring, and energy and focus through nasal breathing and CO2 tolerance work.
Learn about Buteyko breathing →
Two complementary, evidence-based therapies. Used independently or together depending on what your assessment reveals.
Specialist therapy that retrains the tongue, lips and facial muscles to support nasal breathing, healthier swallowing and stable jaw posture. Learn more about myofunctional 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 clinically-led breathing programme that re-trains over-breathing patterns to improve sleep, asthma symptoms, anxiety and energy. Learn more about Buteyko breathing therapy.
Reduce reliever use and symptom frequency through nasal breathing and CO2 tolerance retraining.
Mouth breathing and airway dysfunction disrupt sleep. Buteyko restores nasal breathing day and night.
Dysfunctional breathing patterns drive overbreathing and panic responses. Buteyko re-establishes calm, regulated breathing.
Chronic mild hyperventilation depletes oxygen delivery. Better breathing means clearer thinking and steadier energy.
Myofunctional therapy retrains the muscles and posture that shape your airway. Buteyko breathing therapy re-trains the breathing pattern that runs through it. For sleep-disordered breathing, mouth breathing, and TMJD with shallow breathing, combined care often produces results neither delivers alone.
Mouth tape and breathing kits for quieter, better nights.
5 products →REMplenish bottles and nozzles that train the tongue as you drink.
7 products →Appliances and tools made for smaller mouths and shorter attention spans.
7 products →Munchee, Myospots and the kit therapists actually prescribe.
8 products →The kit our therapists recommend most often.
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.
SALT, OMT
I’m Lauren, a Speech and Language Therapist with over 20 years of NHS experience, specialising in severe speech sound difficulties and developmental language disorders in children. Training as a Myofunctional Therapist has allowed me to take a more holistic, individualised approach. I also have a personal interest, supporting my own family with myofunctional rehabilitation.
Cannot thank Emily and the team enough! They have been amazing with my 5 year old son, this time last year was a massive worry for us, our son was acting completely out of character, had night sweats, nosebleeds, swollen lymph nodes and more.
Since doing Myo he sleeps better, emotions have regulated and has next to no nose bleeds through these summer months, whereas, last year they were almost a daily occurrence. I feel like I have my boy back and I know he feels the benefits too!Thank you all so much❤️
When navigating the NHS with my daughter's health, it has been very reassuring for me to have Emily's advice and support. Emily has a holistic and functional approach to treatment and is extremely knowledgeable. She has worked with my daughter since aged 2, to help with mouth breathing, sleep disordered breathing and other oral function issues and has provided excellent care for my daughter. She really listened to my concerns, putting in place age appropriate strategies to support oral function and development.
My daughter has needed an MDT approach to treatment for her severe obstructive sleep apnoea and did need to have her tonsils and adenoids removed, but with a combination of surgery and Emily's support through myofunctional therapy, use of a myomunchee and other fun devices to support oral function development, her sleep apnoea has fully resolved and she has a normal palate width for her age.
Although we still have a lot of work to do to support further improvements in oral function, jaw development and oral sensory seeking behaviour, I have noticed improved nasal breathing day and night and improved saliva management. We are continuing to work on all of this with Emily through fun and engaging myofunctional therapy sessions and my daughter loves her online sessions.
It is very reassuring for me to know that with Emily's ongoing support and further myofunctional therapy, my daughter's ongoing oral function issues should resolve in the future and Emily can advise on other professionals to support this further if required. I would highly recommend Emily. Thank you for all your help and support.
I genuinely feel so much better than I did before I started my myofunctional therapy.
A big thank you to Emily for my thorough in-person assessment; I really felt like ‘the penny dropped’ finding out some of the symptoms I’ve had all my life were because of my tongue!
I really enjoyed my myo sessions with Natalie—she’s lovely, and I looked forward to my sessions each week.
I highly recommend going for an assessment with Emily. It could literally change your life!
What an amazing journey from first to last.
Emily and her team had come highly recommended as Myofunctional therapists, but our experience exceeded all expectations.
Emily made a connection with our son immediately at our initial consultation and we knew he would follow her exercises and guidance to the letter.
He really enjoyed the zoom consultations and wanted to practice and perfect all the diverse tasks Emily asked him to complete.
The results within three months have been transformative.
He no longer mouth breathes, he has refrained from pushing his teeth with his tongue, his posture and bearing have completely changed, as has the angle at the edge of his jawline. And the icing on the cake is that he’s thoroughly enjoyed every minute of the therapy, which has helped him to feel more confident too.
We as a family would highly recommend Emily and her team.
As a Speech and Language Therapist, I’ve been incredibly impressed with the level of expertise, detail, and care provided throughout my son’s myofunctional therapy journey with Emily Kirkcaldy.
The changes in my son’s facial development and function over a relatively short period have been remarkable. We’ve seen clear improvements in facial symmetry and tone. His jawline has come forward noticeably, and his overall facial proportions are much more balanced.
Functionally, the progress has been even more meaningful. My son now demonstrates improved lip closure and much better saliva management. He has transitioned to predominantly nasal breathing day and night, with a huge reduction in dribbling and oral sensory-seeking behaviours.
We’ve also noticed wider benefits beyond the orofacial changes. He is sleeping more soundly, his head posture has improved, and overall he presents as a much healthier, more regulated child. Mealtimes are faster as my son’s chewing has improved due to increased strength of the tongue and jaw alongside a more efficient and safe swallow.
What stands out most is the therapist’s ability to combine deep anatomical knowledge with a truly functional, child-centred approach. The guidance provided has been clear, practical, and highly effective.
We still have a journey ahead, but the progress so far has exceeded expectations. I would highly recommend this service to both parents and professionals looking for high-quality, evidence-informed myofunctional therapy.
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
Each therapy is delivered the way that works best for it. Most patients begin with an initial consultation and continue with their preferred format.
Initial consultation is typically face-to-face at our clinic. Ongoing sessions can continue online or in person, depending on what works for you.
About myofunctional therapy →Buteyko breathing therapy is delivered entirely online via video sessions. UK-wide, with no clinic visits required.
About Buteyko breathing →
Whether you’re a SALT, dental hygienist, physio, or breathing coach — if you’re myofunctional-trained, Buteyko-trained, or looking to become so, we’d like to hear from you.
Book a 30-minute online discovery call to talk through your concerns with our clinical team and find out whether we can help. No pressure, no obligation.
Book a Discovery Call
