Janine Stiene: Long Island Speech & Myofunctional Therapy Paves the Way for New Speech Training

Let’s talk about muscles.

There is no shortage of people and influencers who show the world their prominent glutes or massive biceps. Thousands make videos about better health practices, illustrating the exercises that can turn you into a sculpted beach hero. Squats, thrusts, burpees and diet — just watch and learn.

But try to find videos about working out one’s tongue. Yes, the tongue. And in recent years, mainstream medical science has begun to recognize the importance and benefits of myofunctional therapy to build and strengthen the tongue to address swallowing issues, misaligned teeth, proper speech patterns, mouth breathing and even sleep apnea.

Janine Stiene, the founder of Long Island Speech & Myofunctional Therapy, and her team are the CrossFit trainers of tongue strength and health, and their work is helping children and adults every day.

“You swallow every one or two minutes,” Stiene says. “Your body is always addressing something when swallowing, both consciously and unconsciously. Myofunctional therapy changes the motor plan for your tongue and creates better muscle memory.” A lack of proper development can lead to interference with the airway, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) issues, sleep apnea, and overall bite and tongue occlusion.

Stiene (MA, CCC-SLP, TSHH) is a licensed speech language pathologist, teacher of the speech and hearing handicapped and trained myofunctional therapist with over 22 years of experience in New York. She received her undergraduate degree from Loyola University and graduated with her Master of Arts in speech pathology from Hofstra University. She grew up in Port Jefferson and lives in Mount Sinai.

She began her career working as a clinical fellow at Maryhaven Center of Hope, while also working part-time at Cold Spring Harbor Central School District. Soon after, Stiene obtained a full-time position as an SLP at Hauppauge School District.

During her second year in the school system, she befriended a man named George who owned his own myofunctional speech practice and who often received all of Stiene’s tongue thrust students. He was a mentor to her and was trained by Daniel Garliner himself, one of the pioneers in the field of myofunctional therapy. George gave Stiene a textbook by Daniel Garliner to study and understand the basics, while also allowing her to shadow him for two years.

In 2003, Stiene bought a small privately owned home-based speech practice. Seventeen years later, she has grown her company with nine locations — the newest in Westhampton Beach — throughout Nassau and Suffolk counties.

“I had never heard of myofunctional therapy, even though I had been a speech pathologist for some time,” Stiene says. “But working alongside such an expert, I saw the benefits first-hand, and I knew it had a benefit and a place in the field of speech pathology.”

The Suffolk Center for Speech and Myofunctional Therapy, also known as Long Island Speech, is the largest privately owned insurance-based speech pathology practice on the East Coast and the largest insurance-based myofunctional therapy practice nationwide. Stiene’s large and exceptionally trained staff treat more than 1,700 session patients per week through both teletherapy and in-person care, and that number continues to grow.

Myofunctional therapy is not a new discipline. The practice has existed since the 1800s, but it wasn’t until the last five years that it became recognized as an important part of speech therapy.

“As we embrace more holistic practices in medicine, disciplines like myofunctional therapy have become more accepted,” Stiene says. “Things have changed in the field and you hear about myofunctional therapy more and more. It is very encouraging.”

There are a lot of boxes to check before determining that Myofunctional Therapy is right for a patient. Stiene said most of the patients in her practice are children, usually beginning as toddlers. She also treats older children and adults.

“As we assess the patient, we need to eliminate other possibilities,” she says. “Through a detailed evaluation, we will ensure there are no other issues, including apraxia or even any brain or nerve issues.”

There is also a swallowing assessment to ensure the tongue is both pushing forward and then backward.

“Some people need to swallow four, five or even six times while eating. That is not normal function,” Stiene explains.

New patients will hear the term “tongue thrust” quite a bit, which is the persistence of an infantile swallow pattern during late childhood, which can lead to breathing and speech difficulties, open bite and protruded teeth. Myofunctional therapy trains your body to rest naturally, treating mouth breathing, changing your posture with your lips closed, teeth closed and tongue resting against the top of your mouth. This can actually transform your appearance, narrowing the arches and lengthening your facial structure.

“Essentially, we are working on the proper usage of the tongue for swallowing,” Stiene says. “The muscle of your tongue is the same as your heart. It needs to be strengthened.”

Long Island Speech & Myofunctional Therapy has offices in East Yaphank, Farmingville, Stony Brook, Islip Terrace, Commack, Jericho, Wantagh, New Hyde Park and Westhampton Beach.

“All of my employees want to work in the Westhampton office,” Stiene says. “It is just beautiful. My family has been going to the East End for many years, and I was excited to come east and open an office.”

Stiene decided to establish an East End presence after she became aware of the need for a speech pathologist and myofunctional therapy practice in the area.

“As soon as we opened, it felt like home,” she says. “Everybody was welcoming and friendly. It is a wonderful place to practice.”

Stiene’s practice has around 150 employees, 50 to 70 of whom are therapists. She has also recently trademarked the Spot Pal, a tongue training appliance.

The growth of myofunctional therapy sees no signs of slowing.

“The pendulum has swung the other way in the last 20 years and the medical community finally sees the benefits of this therapy,” Stiene notes. “Suddenly everybody is getting behind it — pediatricians, orthodontists. It is very exciting, and we are fulfilling a dire need for this therapy.”

Todd Shapiro is an award-winning publicist and associate publisher of Dan’s Papers.