Emilia Bourland, OTR, ECHM is an occupational therapist who has spent her career advocating for and treating the needs of clients and caregivers.

As an educator at Texas Woman’s University Master of Occupational Therapy program, and as a clinician working in settings as diverse as the ICU, acute care, inpatient rehab, skilled Nursing, home modification, home health, and outpatient clinics, Emilia came to see two well defined truths.

1. Caregivers are foundationally vital to our healthcare system.
2. Caregivers are rarely, if ever, given the tools, knowledge, and skill-set they need to safely care for others and themselves.

Acknowledging her own ability to address this problem, Emilia set about creating an organization that could provide vital, practical, accessible training to caregivers all over the world.

Using Education to empower others, Emilia’s mission is to improve the safety and quality of life of caregivers and the people they care for.

Listen in and learn how Amelia is creating Healing Ties through her work at Higher Standards Caregiving Training.

Most Recent Episodes

February 15, 2022

Sam Timbrook: Helping Caregivers Heal

Having served as a Pastor and public school special educator, my life changed when I became a caregiver for his wife and child.Holding a Master's degree in counseling, and a Dr. of Ministry, Sam...

Listen · 53:04

December 15, 2021

Claire Sachs: My Path to Patient Advocacy

38 years ago, Claire Sachs' healthcare journey began with a near-fatal illness that put her in a wheelchair for 18 months. This experience evolved into a life that includes balancing 13 chronic and...

Listen · 44:12

September 21, 2021

No One Without Song

Through her marvelous book: "The Courage to Care: Being Fully Present with the Dying" Rev. Linda Bryce's mission is to pass on her understandings and show us how to be there at the bedside, fully...

Listen · 48:44

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Christopher MacLellan The Bow Tie Guy

You Might Know Me As The Bow Tie Guy - "Wearing a bow tie is like wearing two smiles."

When people ask me, "why did you create the Whole Care Network"... I always come back to our caregiving experience and how fortunate I was to find resources that helped me and my partner Richard Schiffer manage our caregiving journey. Every caregiver has a story; through our stories, we find validation, resources, and respite to help manage our caregiving day.

We were fortunate to have our story chronicled in a 2015 Pulitzer Prize-nominated 3-part story, “In Sickness and In Health: A Couple’s Final Journey,” which told our journey of caregiving. The story told of the challenges LGBT partners have in dealing with the medical and legal system, but it also told of the love and joy my partner Richard's last years had on our relationship.