The Face Place Podcast

Elyse Comerford, founder of Well Belly Health Clinic, is an Integrative Nutritionist and Certified GAPS (Gut & Psychology/Physiology Syndrome) Practitioner, Keynote Speaker, Mentor, and most importantly, Mum to Dylan. Elyse’s primary focus for the past decade has been in private practice, helping thousands of families overcome a whole host of health issues through the implementation of nourishing and healing principles, reducing toxic stress, and the GAPS protocol.

In today’s episode, Elyse is joining me to talk about helping people see that something normal doesn’t mean it’s something you have to live with and navigating through people’s goals are, and implementing programs to move towards that.

Elyse has developed online programs, seminars and retreats that have changed the lives of thousands. Elyse’s stress-less approach to health has been game changing for many, taking health from overwhelming to sustainable for every day busy families. Elyse has worked closely with Quirky Cooking’s Jo Whitton for the past 7 years, creating programs, retreats, and collaborating on Jo’s latest cookbook, ‘Simple Healing Foods’. You can also hear Elyse speak on a number of podcasts including ‘A Quirky Journey’, ‘Low-Tox Life’ and ‘Primal Alternative Podcast’.

Elyse’s approach is based on taking the normal "guilt, blame, shame and deprivation” and completely turning it on its head, focussing instead on healing, nourishing, and listening to the body.

We dive into:

• Health concerns that are common but not “normal”

• Understanding the GAPS protocol

• How the gut and the brain communicate

• Fight or flight impacts on digestion

• Mouth breathing

Connect with Elyse here: 

Catherine Murphy, DDS, MSD’s love of dentistry goes beyond appreciating the beauty of a bicuspid. She is grateful that dentistry provided the support needed to transform her son's health from failing to thriving. She shares her passion for holistic dentistry through her speaking engagements across the globe and today she joins me to talk about holistic orthodontics.

Over fifteen years ago, Catherine practised general dentistry before becoming an Orthodontist. She has served as adjunct clinical faculty at both IU School of Dentistry and Indiana University NW Dental Hygiene Program. The principles and strategies that Dr Murphy shares through speaking and consulting are drawn from her years in private practice. Her mission is to elevate patient care by introducing a holistic approach to orthodontic treatment to dental professionals across the USA and internationally.

Dr Murphy is the author of two picture books focusing on the connection between oral health and overall health: "Dear Momma..."and "Dear Friend...Do you know about Tongue Ties?". She reaches caregivers nationwide through her podcast, "Dear Momma with Dr Murphy". The show provides insights into the holistic and collaborative care approach to orthodontic treatment. Additionally, Dr Murphy is a co-creator of the self-care movement, Take3ForMe™, designed to encourage harmony between career, family and self. This practice combines her love of myofunctional therapy exercises, breathwork and affirmation.

We dive into:

• Family Dentistry
• Working collaboratively with Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy
• Tooth extractions
• Airway problems 
• Mouth breathing

Connect with Catherine here: 

Today I’m joined by Speech Pathologist Louisa Backus who is trained in Orofacial Myology and Lactation. Louisa works with oral function across the lifespan from babies to adults and shares all about speech and oral function.

After 20 plus years working as a Speech Pathologist, Louisa has developed an interest in the holistic treatment of paediatric feeding and speech difficulty in a manner that incorporates normalising oral dysfunction and breathing which can begin from birth. Louisa now presents as part of the Australian Orofacial Myology Collaboration running 28 hr Foundation courses in Orofacial Myology in Australia and Internationally.

We dive into:

• How Louisa got started with Orofacial Myology 

• Jaw function for talking and feeding 

• Jaw heights to achieve vowels

• Tongue ties affecting speech and eating

• Screening airways

Connect with Louisa here:

Dr Shereen Lim is a Perth-based Dentist with a Postgraduate Diploma in Dental Sleep Medicine from the University of Western Australia. She joins me today to talk about airway-focused dentistry and how quality of life can be impacted by mouth breathing.

Shereen has been involved in the team management of snoring and obstructive sleep apnea for over a decade and now works exclusively with tongue tie management, early interceptive orthodontics and oral function.  She is dedicated to promoting airway health from infancy to minimise the development of sleep and breathing problems. Shereen has also recently written a book -  “Breathe, Sleep, Thrive: Discover How Airway Health Can Unlock Your Child’s Greater Health, Learning and Potential.”

We dive into:

• Sleep and quality of life

• Growth of the jaws and muscles

• Tongue ties

• Shereen’s take on dummy use

Connect with Shereen here: 

Crystal Atkins is a clinical audiologist with over 6 years of experience, and joins me today to talk about ears, teething and dummies. 

Crystal holds a Master's degree in Clinical Audiology and a Graduate Certificate in Counselling. Crystal has experience working with both adult and paediatric caseloads as well as vestibular diagnostics, cochlear implant research and newborn hearing screening.  Since becoming a mother, Crystal's passion for family-centred care has grown stronger, leading her to create Early Ears Education - a parent education platform that demystifies all aspects of paediatric audiology and supports parents through their journey.

We dive into:

• Audiology as a career
• What age we should be considering hearing assessments
• What we really think about dummies

Connect with Crystal here: 

https://www.instagram.com/early.ears.education/

Joining us today is certified Sleep Specialist living in Tasmania, Hannah Clark. Hannah has trained through Isla Grace Sleep and is currently studying the Possums Neuroprotective Developmental Care program. Hannah is also educated in trauma informed support, the parental brain and nervous system regulation. Her business Kin Postpartum was inspired by the experience of hourly waking with her first child. Hannah offers honest and gentle support with absolutely no sleep training techniques. She incorporates individual child temperament and development in her care when supporting families through sleep challenges. 

We dive into:

• What a sleep consultant does

• Why sleep training isn’t for everyone

• Safe sleep practices

• Total baby sleeping times

Connect with Hannah here: 

Melanie is a mother of three daughters, a qualified naturopath, and the founder of the women’s health clinic The Natal Naturopath with a team of naturopaths supporting women in all health concerns. She has a special interest in iron deficiency in women, and created her own iron supplement IronBiotic and a pre and postnatal supplement EverNatal, to better support women.  We dive into:

• Nutrition in pregnancy

• Iron deficiency and iron supplements

• A naturopathic perspective on gum disease and tooth decay

Connect with Melanie here: 

Jessamy Kaval is a Registered Midwife, Childbirth Educator and an Oh Baby Nutrition trained consultant for pregnancy, postpartum and baby. She has a Diploma in Child Development and a Degree in Sociology. Jess’s business, The Mindful Midwife Mama, provides an evidenced based approach and holistic, mindful support to mothers to ensure they are informed, empowered and well-nourished for pregnancy, postpartum and beyond.

We dive into: 

• Diet and supplements

• Folate vs folic acid

• Mental and emotional preparation for pregnancy

• Dental health and pregnancy

Connect with Jess here:

Nutritionist, Naturopath, and mum of 2 (with the third on the way) Kate Holm is committed to the health of families and future generations in a way that is attainable, insightful and inclusive. Kate joins me today to talk about wholefood meals and the new Boob to Food Clinic.

We’ve gone through a few episodes without me taking the chance to properly introduce myself and tell you how I got started in my career and how The Face Place came to be. And why I think every health care professional should know about Orofacial Myology.

I dive into: 

• How I got into Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy

• The moment I discovered I was struggling to nasal breath

• The challenges of being a new mum and a business owner

• How your oral function affects so much of your body

Joining me today, is Tash Duffin. Tash is an Occupational Therapist at her Perth-based practice Whole Child Co. Tash has a family-led approach in her work with infant and toddler sleep and reflux. Tash has trained in Orofacial Myology, sleep quality, and paediatric feeding and she is a Certified Baby Reflux Lady. 

We dive into: 

• Infant reflux

• “Colic”

• Tongue ties

• The role of oral function in infant feeding

Connect with Tash here:

Georgie is a mama to one spirited little girl and lives with her family in Melbourne. She is a degree-qualified naturopath, an SOS-trained feeding therapist, and a certified Motherhood Studies practitioner.

In her online clinical practice dedicated to supporting mothers, Georgie helps tired, sleep-deprived mums to overcome exhaustion, rediscover themselves, and find joy in whatever season of motherhood they’re in. She also works with babies and toddlers, supporting them with common childhood challenges like sleep, digestive health, immunity, and picky eating.

She works 1:1 with mothers all across Australia via Telehealth as well as supporting a community of like-minded mothers to find a truly nourished and empowered version of motherhood through her online membership, Mother Nourish.

We dive into: 

• What is sleep hygiene

• The role of nutrition in sleep

• Supplementation may not always be the answer

• How caffeine can impact our quality of sleep

Connect with Brenda here: 

Brenda Munz is a Registered Nurse, Registered Midwife and IBCLC with 16 years experience in private and public hospital settings. She has worked as a private IBCLC in her business The Gentle Village for over 2 years, providing care for families in Perth and online. Brenda is trained in Orofacial Myology and she has a holistic, root-cause approach to the world of breastfeeding.

We dive into:

• Birth influences on oral function
• Tongue ties
• Bottle feeding

Connect with Brenda here:

Tamika Newman is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) in private practice on the Gold Coast, QLD. She has practiced as a Registered Nurse and Midwife since 2005 and worked in a large tertiary hospital setting for over 10 years. Tamika qualified as an IBCLC in 2010 and she currently works with a large caseload of between 300-400 families per year both in Australia and internationally. Tamika has a special interest in oral restrictions, re-lactation, gut health and human microbiome, epigenetics and biologically normal infant sleep and feeding practices. Tamika has just completed her training in Orofacial Myology to expand her knowledge and clinical skill base.

We dive into:

• The process of lactation
• Foods and supplements for lactation
• Expressed breast milk
• Orofacial Myology training as an IBCLC

Connect with Tamika here:

Cathy Boyce is an Oral Health Therapist and Orofacial Myofunctional Therapist. She is a BreatheAbility breathing educator and MyoMunchee practitioner. Cathy works in all areas of Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy including Functional Neuromyofascial Therapy for the TMJ. Outside of the OMT world, Cathy educates dental practitioners on the use of silver fluoride and she has a podcast of her own.

We dive into:

• Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy
• Eating practices
• Sleep
• Breathing
• Brain function & ADHD

Connect with Cathy here:

Welcome to The Face Place Podcast. My name’s Mel, I’m an Oral Health Therapist and Orofacial Myofunctional Therapist at my practice The Face Place.
I work with people of all ages to overcome challenges with oral and facial function such as jaw pain, thumb sucking, crowded teeth and snoring.

Each week I’ll be interviewing a health professional from a different area of healthcare to learn all about their area of expertise and how it relates to oral and facial functional, dental health and the whole body.