Today we’d like to introduce you to Tatiana Mustafa.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I definitely didn’t set out thinking I would become a myofunctional therapist! I started my career as a dental hygienist and spent about 10 years working in dentistry.
My interest in myofunctional therapy really started because of my own experience. In my 20s, my teeth began shifting after orthodontic treatment—even though I was wearing my retainer—and I wanted to understand why. That curiosity eventually led me to discover myofunctional therapy and learn about the role that tongue posture, breathing, swallowing, and oral muscle function can play in our teeth, jaws, sleep, and overall health.
By that point, I was also a mom, which made everything I was learning feel even more important. I started looking not only at myself differently, but at my own children differently too—how they breathed, where their tongues rested, whether they had spacing between their baby teeth, and how their jaws and faces were developing.
I ended up going through myofunctional therapy myself and later went through palate expansion and a tongue-tie release. It completely changed the way I viewed the mouth and made me realize how much I hadn’t been taught, even after years of working in dentistry.
The more I learned, the more passionate I became about the idea that we don’t always have to wait until problems are obvious—or until a child is older and already needs significant orthodontic treatment—to start paying attention to how they’re breathing and how their mouth is functioning.
Eventually, I decided to turn that passion into a career. I became a certified myofunctional therapist and opened Goleta MyoWorks, where I now work with both children and adults.
One of the things I hear constantly from patients and parents is, “I wish someone had told me this sooner.” And I completely understand that feeling, because I felt the exact same way.
That’s a huge part of what drives me now. I love working one-on-one with patients, but I’m equally passionate about educating people and giving parents access to information I wish I had when my own children were younger.
It’s pretty wild to think that this entire career started because I wanted to understand why my teeth wouldn’t stay straight after braces. What began as a personal search for answers ended up completely changing the direction of my career—and the way I approach my own family’s health.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It’s definitely been an interesting road! I wouldn’t necessarily say it’s been a difficult one, but it has pushed me outside of my comfort zone in ways I never expected.
I’ve never been someone who loves public speaking, but I quickly realized that if I wanted to spread awareness about myofunctional therapy, I had to be willing to talk about it. I started reaching out to local dental and medical offices and giving lunch-and-learn presentations to educate providers about what myofunctional therapy is, what signs to look for, and how we can work together to better support patients.
Social media was another big step outside my comfort zone. I created an Instagram business account simply because I wanted more people to have access to this information. I started sharing what I knew, talking about things I wished I had learned earlier in my own career, and showing parents practical things they could look for in themselves and their children.
I never expected that account to grow into what it has. What started as a way to educate people locally has allowed me to connect with and help people all over the world.
I think one of the biggest lessons for me has been that sometimes growing a business means being willing to do the things that don’t necessarily come naturally to you. Public speaking and putting myself out there online weren’t things I ever imagined myself doing, but they’ve become some of the most powerful ways I’ve been able to spread awareness about something I genuinely believe more people deserve to know about.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about Goleta MyoWorks?
Goleta MyoWorks is a myofunctional therapy practice where I work with both children and adults to improve the way the muscles of the mouth and face function. A lot of what I do centers around things people don’t always think about—how you breathe, where your tongue rests, how you swallow, and whether your lips naturally stay closed. These seemingly small things can play an important role in oral function, sleep, orthodontic stability, and how the jaws and face develop in children.
I work with patients experiencing things like mouth breathing, tongue thrust, low tongue posture, snoring, clenching and grinding, orthodontic relapse, and other signs of poor oral function. With children especially, I’m passionate about helping parents recognize these patterns early. Rather than simply waiting to see if a child eventually needs braces, I want parents to understand some of the functional factors that may be contributing to how their child’s mouth and jaws are developing in the first place.
I think what sets my approach apart is my background in dentistry combined with my own personal experience as both a patient and a mom. I spent about a decade as a dental hygienist before becoming a certified myofunctional therapist, and I’ve personally gone through myofunctional therapy, expansion, orthodontics, and a tongue-tie release. So when someone sits across from me and says, “Why did no one tell me this before?” I genuinely understand that feeling.
I’m also really passionate about making this information approachable. My goal isn’t to scare parents or make them feel like they need to analyze every little thing their child does. I want to give people practical information so they know what to look for, what they can work on at home, and when it might be time to seek professional help.
That’s also why I’ve expanded beyond one-on-one therapy. Through my online educational resources and social media, I’m now able to teach people all over the world about nasal breathing, tongue posture, oral function, and healthy facial and jaw development.
Brand-wise, that’s probably what I’m most proud of. Something that started as a small local practice has grown into a much bigger mission of making information that was once very niche understandable and accessible to everyday families.
If there’s one thing I want people to take away from my work, it’s that the way your mouth functions matters. You don’t have to wait until there’s a major problem to start paying attention—and sometimes simply knowing what to look for can completely change the path you take.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
There’s so much I love about living here. The weather, the beach, the palm trees—it’s hard to beat! I also love how casual the lifestyle is. There’s something about being able to throw on flip-flops almost year-round and head to the beach that never gets old.
I grew up in Goleta, so this area really feels like home to me. I love that we get the beauty of coastal California while still having that relaxed, laid-back feel.
If I had to pick one thing I like least, it would definitely be the June Gloom! That marine layer can really hang around, and by June I’m always ready for the sunshine to come back. But if that’s my biggest complaint, I’d say we have it pretty good here.
Pricing:
- Comprehensive exam: $150
- Sessions: $200
Contact Info:
- Website: https://goletamyoworks.com
- Instagram: @faceforwardmyo
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/goletamyoworks
