Getting Mental: In The Classroom™

Empowered Youth Edition | A live empowerment workshop rooted in social-emotional learning, for students in grades 6 to 12, delivered over Zoom or on your campus. Created and presented by Brenda Sarai Zuniga, in partnership with NAMI Westside Los Angeles. Booked through Project Blackbird.

The need

Educators across the country are reporting rising anxiety, fear, and emotional distress among students. This workshop was developed in direct response to that need. In one 45-minute session, students learn what is happening in their minds and bodies during stress, and they practice real tools to steady themselves, in real time.

What it is

Getting Mental: In The Classroom™ is a 45-minute live workshop, including open Q&A, delivered over Zoom or in person on your campus to a single class, a grade level, or a full assembly.

Rooted in social-emotional learning, the session guides students through:

Age-appropriate history and context, including Brenda’s own immigration story
Landmark social psychology research on influence and authority, so students learn to think independently
The four stress responses: fight, flight, freeze, and fawn
Four evidence-based regulation tools, practiced live: breathwork, visualization, EFT tapping, and self-compassion
Crisis resources every student should know, including 988 and NAMI
Ten pathways for turning what they feel into positive, community-centered action

Students do not simply learn about these tools. They experience them.

All content is grounded in evidence-based research and reputable academic, medical, and institutional sources. Full citations and a detailed outline are available for curriculum review upon booking.

Meet the presenter

Brenda Sarai Zuniga is a mindfulness coach, certified Youth Mental Health First Aid instructor, NAMI Ending the Silence presenter, motivational speaker, and artist. She has created mindfulness workshops and keynotes for USC, the Miss Universe Organization, the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), the Mexican American Opportunity Foundation, San Bernardino County, and K-12 schools across California, and has been featured in The LA Times, on KTLA 5 Morning News, and with the George Lopez Foundation, Alo Yoga, WeRise LA, and The Rose Bowl Institute.

Brenda immigrated to the U.S. at one year old, attended 11 schools, and lived in 15 homes growing up, and was not diagnosed with ADHD until age 25. She turned that adversity into a career built on resilience, empathy, and humor, creating workshops that give students the tools she wishes she had, delivered with the energy and comedic timing she brings to the stage as a comedian, actress, and singer. She hosts the Getting Mental podcast, blending mental health education and comedy since 2020, and is currently completing her Bachelor’s in Psychology at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

What schools say

“The students were captivated and deeply engaged, and Brenda’s calming presence was palpable even amidst the hustle and bustle of an overcrowded urban school.” Jacqui Biery, Development Director, L.A.C.E.R. Afterschool Programs

“I absolutely loved Brenda, I was having a slow morning and her energy and vibe just lifted my spirits.” Student, Vaughn Charter School

Booking details

Format: Live presentation, over Zoom or in person on your campus, delivered by Brenda personally
Length: 45 minutes, including open Q&A
Audience: Middle and high school students, grades 6 to 12
Virtual: $1,000 per live session over Zoom, bookable as a single session or up to 5 sessions in one day
In-person, drivable: $5,000 flat for a full day on campus (within about a 3-hour drive of Las Vegas, Los Angeles included), up to 5 sessions, travel and materials included
In-person, fly-in: $6,500 flat for a full day on campus (out of state with same-day flights), up to 5 sessions, all travel and materials included
In-person + virtual series: $10,000 flat for out-of-state visits needing an overnight stay: up to 5 on-campus sessions plus 5 bonus virtual follow-up sessions within 90 days with a student progress tracker, all travel and lodging included
Includes: take-home mindfulness sheet, video guides for continued practice, and pre-session coordination with your team

Book it

Email alexandra@projectblackbirdinc.org with two or three dates that work for your school, and we will handle the rest.