About the Buteyko Breathing Association

Information for patients

Buteyko Breathing Association teachers – offer tuition to help you to quickly gain benefit from the Buteyko breathing techniques (BBT).  All BBA teachers have health professional qualifications, and some can offer additional therapies such physiotherapy or osteopathy.
There are three levels of qualification:

Adult Certificate:
Teacher qualified to teach basic Buteyko techniques to adults with asthma

Child Certificate:
Teacher qualified to teach Buteyko child techniques to children or to adults, depending on their clinical speciality

Advanced Certificate:
Teacher qualified to teach advanced Buteyko techniques to adults with respiratory problems

An organisation of healthcare professionals trained in Buteyko

The Buteyko Breathing Association was formed in 1999 by the first group of UK professionals trained to teach BBT. It is a non profit making organisation of healthcare professionals  trained  in the assessment and treatment of adults and children with asthma  using the Buteyko breathing techniques (BBT).

The organisation started as a group of ten enthusiastic teachers, now over 200 health professionals have trained on BBA accredited courses. There are now BBA teachers around the world in 13 different countries and from many different professional backgrounds, including physiotherapy, nursing, osteopathy, medical doctors, sports scientists. .

Teacher training & professional development

The Buteyko Breathing Association sets standards for the delivery of education and training, by awarding accredited status to suitable teacher training courses. Continuing professional development is available via study days, newsletters and discussion forums to ensure that our members remain at the forefront of the profession. For more information about BBA accredited teacher training courses…..

The aims of the Buteyko Breathing Association

• To promote public awareness, understanding and use of the BBT
• To provide mutual support for and assistance to members in their practice of BBT by the provision of newsletters, advice and guidance, information and courses.
• To regulate the practice of teachers through compulsory adherence to a Code of Conduct (alongside the professional’s own regulatory body) so as to ensure public confidence in the Association and its registered practitioners.
• In the UK, to promote an encourage the use of BBT within the National Health Service with a view to ultimate acceptance as a part of the Service
• Internationally, to work closely alongside similar associations in other countries to encourage international co-operation in development and standardisation of practice.

For more information please see the BBA Constitution and Code of Conduct.

Timeline

1960s to 1980s Dr Buteyko’s work in Russia
↓
1994 Australian clinical trial shows BBT
helps to control asthma symptoms
↓
1999 First BBT training course in the UK
for health professionals taught by
Dr R Courtney and Dr L Motin from Australia
↓
1999 Formation of BBA
↓
2002 BBA accredits a UK BBT training course,
taught by Dr James Oliver and Janet Brindley
↓
2002 BBA accredits BBT training in Germany,
taught by Dr Silvia Smolka and Catherine Burckhart
↓
2003 New Zealand clinical trial shows BBT
helps to control asthma symptoms
↓
2005 Dr James Oliver, President of the BBA, talks at the British Thoracic Society meeting on BBT
↓
2008 BBT is included in the NHS SIGN/BTS guidelines
↓
2008 Kathryn Godfrey joins the teacher training team
↓
2008 Canadian clinical trial shows BBT
helps to control asthma symptoms
↓
2008 Gillian Austin joins the teacher training team
↓
2008 BBA accredits BBT training
in Austria taught by Viktor Anton
↓
2009 BBT training course run in
collaboration with Coventry University
as part of an MSc Module
↓
2009 Nicky Knowles joins the teacher training team
↓
2012 A modular version of the BBT training course
is accredited by the BBA
↓
2012 Catherine Moffat joins the teacher training team