Who We Are

All About Us

Who we are and what we do

Our primary aim is to provide resources to both Service users and Service Providers, to help educate and raise awareness of the condition, through media such as this website, leaflets and other educational materials. You can see examples of these on our resources and media page.

We support health professionals in the management of Breathing Pattern Disorders using physiotherapy techniques, by running courses, offering professional guidance and mentoring.

To provide networking for experts within this area including; Specialist Respiratory, Expert Musculoskeletal and Neuro Physiotherapists and many other healthcare professionals including; Nurses, Occupational Therapists, Physiologists and Doctors.

The Committee

The Group is led by a small, voluntary Committee, who have all specialised in the management of the Symptoms associated with a Breathing Pattern Disorder. They work across NHS, Private Practice, and Academia. (see below for details on current members).

Our history

Initially called “Physiotherapy for Hyperventilation”, the group was started in 1993 by our founder member Anne Pitman. Having attended an advanced respiratory course in London, Anne became aware of how focused breathing exercises could have a positive influence on not only her patients’ breathlessness but also their well-being. As there was little evidence around hyperventilation at that time, the original aims of the group was to bring together respiratory experts to increase awareness and understanding of the condition.

In 2017 the group re-launched as Physiotherapy for Breathing Pattern Disorders, to reflect the advancements in understanding of how breathing can be affected by many elements.

Since Anne has retired the committee remain focussed on maintaining her mission to increase the knowledge and understanding of this varied complex condition through education and research.

Chartered Physio / Lecturer / Academic
Kate Bazin

Kate graduated as a Physiotherapist in 2001 and specialised in cardiorespiratory Physiotherapy in 2005, completing an MSc in advanced Physiotherapy at UCL in 2009. She developed a particular interest in the management of breathing pattern disorders for individuals with and without known cardiorespiratory disease and joined the Physiotherapy for breathing pattern disorders committee in 2010.

Kate has predominantly worked clinically in the NHS at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust and currently works as a specialist respiratory Physiotherapist at The London Clinic. Kate is also a Lecturer in Physiotherapy Education and is the MSc Physiotherapy pre-registration programme director at King’s College London.

Respiratory Physiotherapist
Helene Bellas

Helene trained at the University of The Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa and after completing her community service she travelled to the UK. In 2004 she took up a permanent position as a specialist respiratory rotational physiotherapist at Barts and The London where she was first introduced to breathing patterns.

Since then she has worked at various NHS trusts which have included Tower Hamlets, Kings College, Sutton and Merton Community services as part of the Royal Marsden, University College and finally St. Georges Hospital. Helene has gained extensive experience in the full spectrum of chronic disease management by working in different teams during this time. They have included pulmonary rehabilitation, community and specialist outpatient clinics (cough, COPD, Bronchiectasis, ILD, general chest, breathlessness, severe asthma and Covid). Helene has very special interest in breathing pattern disorders within the context of chronic disease and cough. She is currently working in her own private practice, HBH Respiratory Physio in Sussex managing an outpatient caseload.

CHARTERED PHYSIOTHERAPIST
Jennifer Bromley

Jennifer works as a specialist respiratory physiotherapist in a lecturer/practitioner role. She is passionate about teaching and treating breathing problems and has a special interest in breathing pattern disorders. She has been working with people with breathing pattern disorders since she qualified more than 30 years ago and loves to talk about breathing and listen to others talking about breathing.

Paediatric Physiotherapist
Clare-Louise Chadwick

Clare graduated in 2007 from the University of Cape, South Africa with a BSc in Physiotherapy. She worked in South Africa for the first 4 years of her career starting her paediatric respiratory experience during her junior rotations. In 2012 Clare moved to the UK where she has predominantly worked in Paediatric ICU but also covered an outpatient respiratory caseload at the following NHS trusts; St Mary's Hospital and Kings College Hospital in London, as well as Manchester’s Children’s Hospital,

During the last 8 years Clare has been working with paediatric breathing pattern disorders, exercise induced laryngeal obstruction (EILO) and asthma. She set up the Paediatric Breathing pattern and asthma physiotherapy services at St Georges and Kings College hospitals in London. Clare has recently moved back to St Georges hospital as the Clinical Lead Physiotherapist for Paediatric Asthma and Breathing patterns disorders after leaving the same role at Kings College Hospital. She is the founder of The Happy Breathing Clinic, where she sees private paediatric clients with breathing pattern disorders, EILO and cough. Clare also works at the Institute of Sports Exercise and Health alongside Julie Moore and Prof. James Hull.

CHARTERED PHYSIOTHERAPIST
Sarah Fowler

Sarah qualified in 1991 and after 18 months in a rotational post, specialised in Cardiopulmonary Physiotherapy first at the Royal Brompton and then at Glenfield in Leicester. Whilst in Leicester she completed an MSc in Cardiopulmonary Physiotherapy at Sheffield Hallam University.

After a move to Suffolk and a career break, Sarah has spent 13 years leading the Respiratory Physiotherapy Outpatient clinic at the Suffolk and North East Essex NHS trust. This has allowed her to pursue her interest in managing BPD, Chronic Cough and ILO. Sarah joined the Physiotherapy for BPD committee in 2018. In November 2020 Sarah was asked to plan and role out the Suffolk and North East Essex Long COVID Service and she remains the Clinical Lead.

CHARTERED PHYSIOTHERAPIST
Lizzie Grillo

Lizzie is an Advanced Physiotherapist for the Lung Division at the Royal Brompton Hospital in which she provides specialist support for the Adult Lung Services. She has a particular interest in breathlessness and the assessment of breathing pattern. She completed her MSc in advanced physiotherapy at UCL in 2012 and she is currently completing a PhD, supported by the NHIR Clinical academic programme at Imperial College, looking at the physiotherapy assessment of breathing pattern.

Lizzie has represented physiotherapists and AHPs on several committees within the British Thoracic Society and Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Respiratory

CHARTERED PHYSIOTHERAPIST
Julie Moore

Julie Moore MSc, BSc (Hons) is a Clinical Respiratory Physiotherapist for the Institute of Sport, Exercise and Health with a special interest in the recognition and management of breathing pattern disorders in elite athletes. Julie works with athletes to address respiratory issues that are restricting performance and to utilise breathing strategies to optimise performance.

Her experience as a masters national age group runner & triathlete enables her to fully appreciate the demands of high performance. Julie has been a chartered physiotherapist for 30 years but specialised in respiratory physio in 2000 giving her over 20 years of experience and a wide respiratory knowledge base that she applies on a daily basis. Julie also currently works as a consultant physiotherapist clinically leading on a long COVID programme designed to accelerate recovery post viral illness at Guys & St Thomas’ Hospital in London.

CHARTERED PHYSIOTHERAPIST
Louisa Stonehewer

I qualified in 1986 and have worked predominantly for the NHS. Initially based in the Northwest I have worked in the West Midlands for many years. I specialise in the management of all Chronic Respiratory Conditions and have worked mainly with Out-patients including Pulmonary Rehabilitation, Breathless management and Chest Clearance techniques in Physiotherapy led clinics and alongside medical Colleagues and MDT in Severe Asthma clinics and Bronchiectasis Clinics, and more recently Post Covid MDT Teams. I am a member of a Research team investigating Enhanced Recovery Post Surgery for Lung Cancer. Previously I helped deliver the Exercise Programme Dementia and Physical Activity (DAPA) Trial

My interest in the relationship between Mental and Physical Health, and in particular how stress and anxiety can cause physical symptoms was piqued early in my career whilst on a Mental Health rotation. I then spent many years working closely with Neuro-rehabilitation Physiotherapists focussing on using ‘Normal Movement’ techniques based on the Bobath Principles to regain movement and mobility. Hard to believe but we talked more of the Central Key Point rather than Core- stability, but the principles were similar.

I have been an active committee member of The Physiotherapy for Breathing Pattern Disorders since joining (what was then Physiotherapy for Hyperventilation) in 2000. Helping with the development of various versions of our Website and Courses over the years has allowed me many opportunities to learn from the best. I use any opportunity to spread the knowledge I have gained, whether that be in a patient setting, talking with members of the Multidisciplinary Team including Doctors, or talking to special interest groups. I try to use a combination of ‘Normal Movement’ Physical and Mental Well-being with an emphasis on empowering the Client to self -manage their condition. A good explanation of the causes and effects of a Breathing Pattern Disorder, either with or without an underlying Respiratory Condition, is often the first step on the road to recovery.

musculoskeletal PHYSIOTHERAPIST
Gwynn Wallace

Gwynn qualified as a Chartered musculoskeletal physiotherapist in 1998 and has had an interest in dysfunctional breathing for 20 of those. He worked as a physiotherapist for 12 years at the Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Trust. In 2010 he re-joined to the RAF as a commissioned physiotherapist. He was responsible for the running of several military physiotherapy facilities. During this time worked with several RAF sports teams (Snowboarding, netball, and athletics) where he was able to use the concept of dysfunctional breathing and highlight its potential impact on sporting performance.

In 2018 he led the Specialist Rehabilitation team at the Military’s main rehabilitation centre at Stanford Hall, this team was responsible for supporting personnel with complex pain and medical issues including CFS/ME. Here he introduced dysfunctional breathing assessment and treatments as part of our residential courses, which subsequently proved to be one of the cornerstones in our response in treating service personnel who were struggling to recover from COVID 19. He retired from the RAF in February 2022 and has been working in his practice as the “Breathing Mechanic”.