Mara J. James is an author, visionary, entrepreneur, and advocate for all things mental health. She is dedicated to empowering others to rise above life’s challenges and embrace the truth that healing is possible.

Mara’s diverse career has ranged from foreign exchange banking operations to building and managing her husband's successful OBGYN practice. As a parent, Mara has experienced firsthand the complexities of raising children with mental and emotional challenges. Mara herself faced a personal mental health crisis, which led to her diagnosis of bipolar disorder, an experience that became a turning point and culmination of her life’s mission.

Through a combination of Western medicine and alternative healing modalities, Mara overcame her health challenges and experienced a profound transformation. Inspired to make a difference, she founded the Extraordinary Lives Foundation (ELF) in 2015 to support children’s mental health and emotional wellness. She also created the character Piggie Bear, authoring two Piggie Bear children’s books and several empowerment tools to help parents and teachers build resilience and coping skills in children. Piggie Bear serves as ELF’s mascot and is at the heart of ELF’s Children’s Emotional Wellness Program.
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Mara is also the author of Unconditional: Mental Health Redefined, a teaching memoir chronicling her personal healing journey and the messages she feels called to share, as well as a collection of healing practices. As Mara says, “We are all beautifully imperfect—and that is a good thing because our families need connection, not perfection.”