Orofacial Myofunctional
Therapy
Online Therapy for Nasal Breathing, Oral Function, & Swallowing
Serving California + Washington
Your average speech therapist has had zero training in Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy.
This is not taught in grad school — our practice knows it’s importance and we want to make it accessible to the people that need it.
Maybe your orthodontist noticed a tongue thrust.
Maybe you’re getting braces for the second — or third — time and wondering why your teeth keep shifting.
Or maybe you or your child snores, breathes through their mouth, struggles with certain speech sounds, or takes forever to finish a meal.
These issues can seem completely unrelated.
But sometimes, they’re connected by how the tongue, lips, jaw, and facial muscles are functioning together.
Most clients finish orofacial myofunctional therapy in 4-6 months
Clients Come To Us When They’re:
Told they have a tongue thrust
Getting braces for the 2nd or 3rd time
Concerned about a tongue tie
Picky, slow, or messy eaters
Snoring at night
Struggling to breathe comfortably while sleeping
Experiencing chronic tension in the jaw, head, or neck
Clenching or grinding their teeth
Mouth breathing throughout the day or night
Lisping or having difficulty producing the “R” sound
Sometimes you know exactly what’s wrong.
Other times, you just know something about breathing, eating, sleeping, or speaking doesn’t seem as easy as it should.
Your tongue might be working harder than it should.
“We reteach the tongue
where it needs to live.”
How Orofacial Therapy With Us Works
We like to say that this type of therapy feels like a mix between learning a new musical instrument and physical therapy.
Our entire Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy program is offered virtually.
We meet weekly, and throughout treatment you may send us photos or short videos so we can see exactly what’s happening between sessions.
Then we give you specific exercises to practice throughout the week.
Each skill builds on the one before it.
Just like learning an instrument, progress comes from small, consistent repetitions until your muscles no longer have to consciously think about what to do.
Our Treatment Flow
-
We look closely at breathing, sleep patterns, tongue posture, swallowing, chewing, oral habits, speech, and any other related concerns that brought you to us.
-
We begin teaching the foundational movements your mouth needs—including awareness of tongue placement, nasal breathing, and correct oral resting posture.
-
Your weekly exercises are individualized to you or your child’s needs and abilities.
You’ll practice between sessions and may send photos or videos so we can monitor your progress.
-
Knowing where your tongue should go or what it should do isn't enough.
The goal is for your new patterns to become so familiar that your body uses them without you having to think about them. It takes time, practice, and commitment, but it is doable!
Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy With Results
After working with us, clients report:
Easier nasal breathing
Less snoring
Better-quality sleep
Less daytime sleepiness
Less clenching, grinding, and jaw tension
More comfortable chewing and eating
Faster progress with speech goals
Better support for orthodontic results
Improved oral health
“Your body has done this the old way thousands of times. We help it learn a new automatic.”
About Spark Therapy
Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy isn’t something every speech therapist is trained to provide.
We’ve intentionally pursued specialized education in this area because we’ve seen how it can improve foundational skills that are often missing. These missing skils are often what is preventing or slowing progress in other areas like picky eating or speech.
When we work with you, we’re looking at the bigger picture: how you breathe, where your tongue rests, how you chew and swallow, the habits your muscles have developed, and how those patterns may be affecting everyday life.
We’ll explain what we see, teach you exactly what we want you to practice, and help you build each skill step by step until it becomes something your body can do naturally, all the while moving towards your most important goals.
Our Speech Therapists
-
![Leslie Bennett MS, CCC-SLP]()
Leslie Bennett MS, CCC-SLP
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
-
![Gretchen Bechard M.S.Ed., CCC-SLP]()
Gretchen Bechard M.S.Ed., CCC-SLP
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
-
![Dina Deukmajian M.S., CCC-SLP]()
Dina Deukmajian M.S., CCC-SLP
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua.
4 Steps To
Get Started
-
Reach out and tell us a little about what you or your child have been experiencing.
-
We’ll talk through your concerns and determine whether therapy is the right next step.
-
We’ll evaluate the patterns affecting breathing, tongue posture, chewing, swallowing, speech and create an individualized plan.
-
We’ll meet online each week while you practice targeted exercises between sessions, building one skill at a time until healthier patterns become automatic.