Jillian Watkins

I am a Buteyko Breathing Re-educator and Myofunctional Therapist. I work with both adults and children to help with health conditions including asthma, sleep apnoea, mouth breathing, COPD, panic attacks and snoring.

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About me

I founded Inspirewell after my life was completely transformed by being introduced to the Buteyko Breathing Technique.  I was a chronic asthmatic for over 30 years, as well as having numerous allergies, including cats and dogs.  Not only am I now symptom and medication free, I regularly go running with my husband and sons as well as our rescue Border Collie.

​My professional background is as a Dental Hygienist and Therapist and I qualified at Kings College University London over ten years ago.  Working mainly within NHS dentistry, I spent several years as an Oral Hygienist in hospitals, working with people undergoing head and neck cancer treatment as well as children having orthodontic work.  During this time working with patients and helping them achieve healthier mouths, I became more and more interested in the relationship between breathing and muscle function and its influences not only on dental health but conditions such as asthma and sleep apnoea.  This led to me moving into the fascinating area of Buteyko Breathing and Myofunctional Therapy.

Jillian Watkins

What I offer

I work with both adults and children to help with health conditions including asthma, sleep apnoea, mouth breathing, COPD, panic attacks, and snoring.

Asthma UK say that there is quite a bit of evidence to suggest that doing breathing exercises like Buteyko can mean fewer asthma symptoms and not needing to use your reliever inhaler as often. It consists of a series of breathing exercises that aim to ensure you breathe through your nose, not your mouth and take in the correct amount of air.  Breathing problems can lead to over-breathing and chronic hyperventilation.  Many people automatically tend to over-breathe when they start to experience asthma symptoms, have panic attacks, are under stress or during exercise.  In these situations, the Buteyko exercises provide you with the skills to be able to breathe correctly, and this prevents the development of a vicious cycle of over-breathing which can result in breathlessness, wheezing or coughing, or increased panic attacks.

Myofunctional Therapy is a re-education and re-patterning of the oral, facial and oropharyngeal (back of the throat) muscles.  It consists of a series of customised exercises, to educate the muscles of the face and mouth to restore their proper function.  Through repetition, you train your muscles and nerves to follow new patterns of behaviour.   It has been shown to reduce episodes (AHI) of Sleep Apnoea, help with pre and post-orthodontic work, reduce snoring and other parafunctional issues.

Contact me

Jillian Watkins of Inspirewell

Website: www.Inspirewell.uk

Email: admn.inspirewell@gmail.com

British Society of Myofunctional Therapists (Treasurer)

British Society of Dental Sleep Medicine

British Society of Periodontists

Professional qualifications:

Buteyko Breathing Educator (BBE)

Certified Orofacial Myofunctional Therapist (AOMT)

Registered Dental Hygienist and Therapist (RDHT)

TBI Ambassador with The Breathe Institute

Currently undertaking a post-graduate diploma in TMJ Therapy