The Fully Mindful with Melissa Chureau
The Fully Mindful podcast explores what it is to be fully mindful and present in our everyday lives, uncover our worth and discover our purposes. Host of TFM, Melissa Chureau is a neurodivergent lawyer, mindfulness teacher, and embodiment and breathwork coach. On TFM, Melissa interviews inspiring creatives, wellness leaders, and social disruptors about how they have discovered their purpose(s), authentic wellness, and the value of their work on the world at large.
Support this podcast: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=EAKLA3JNCEAV8
The Fully Mindful with Melissa Chureau
Getting Mental (in the Best Way): Humor, Healing & Self-Compassion with Brenda Sarai Zuniga
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
This week on The Fully Mindful, Melissa sits down with the incomparable Brenda Sarai Zuniga—a mindfulness coach, comedian, motivational speaker, and the vibrant force behind Getting Mental, the podcast and one-woman show that proves healing doesn’t have to be heavy.
From immigrating to the U.S. as a baby and growing up in 15 different homes, to getting diagnosed with ADHD at 25 and turning it into her superpower, Brenda shares how her journey shaped her work—and how she now helps others feel seen, understood, and empowered.
We go deep into:
- ✨ How mindfulness and self-compassion saved her life
- 🎤 Her one-woman comedy musical about mental health (yes, it’s brilliant)
- 🧠 Why ADHD is her secret weapon—and how she teaches others to harness it
- 😂 How humor breaks down stigma and makes mental health accessible
- 💡 Her upcoming course to help people reconnect with their inner child
- 💛 What it means to truly belong, even when you’ve felt like an outsider
We also laugh a lot, geek out over White Lotus, and talk about the power of performing, purpose, and creative breakthroughs.
Don’t miss this one—it’s honest, uplifting, and packed with insight, especially if you’ve ever felt “different,” struggled with self-worth, or wondered how to turn your pain into purpose.
📲 Connect with Brenda:
- Instagram: @officialbrendaz
- Website: www.brendasaraizuniga.com
Join the Fully Mindful Community: ✨ Subscribe & Review: If you enjoyed this episode, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify—it helps others find the show!
✨ Stay Connected: Follow @the_fully_mindful on Instagram for mindfulness tips, breathwork insights, and more!
✨ Free Breathwork Sessions: Email me at info@thefully.mindful.com to get signed up for your first session for free of my monthly Unwind Your Mind session.
Introduction to Fully Mindful Podcast
Speaker 1Welcome to the Fully Mindful Podcast . I'm your host , melissa . I designed this podcast for you . I'm so happy you're here . We are talking about what it means to live with more intention , creativity and authenticity so we can make aligned connections . I'm a neurodivergent lawyer turned coach who found the healing power of breathwork and the powerful impact of mindfulness as we navigate this wild and beautiful ride of life . Here at the Fully Mindful , we dive deep with inspiring guests , share solo mini-sodes that are packed with tools you can apply immediately , and I mix it up a bit with tangents and sidebars where my friend and host of the New World Normal podcast , debbie Harrell , joins us for some down-to-earth , sometimes random but always meaningful conversations . If you're ready to breathe , reflect and grow , you're in the right place . Let's get fully mindful . Well
Meet Brenda Zuniga: Mindfulness Coach & Comedian
Speaker 1, hello everybody . This is Melissa . With the Fully Mindful , I'm joined by someone who brings a lot of light , laughter and depth to the world of mental health Brenda Zuniga .
Speaker 1Brenda is a mindfulness coach , comedian , motivational speaker , artist , all-around creative powerhouse of a woman . She immigrated to the United States as a baby and was raised by teenage parents . Remarkably , she's lived in , I think , 15 different homes growing up teenage parents . Remarkably , she's lived in , I think , 15 different homes growing up . Her ADHD diagnosis didn't come until she was age 25 . But by then , she'd already developed the kind of resilience , empathy and humor that would become the heart of her work .
Speaker 1In 2018 , she became a US citizen and founded Sweet Thoughts Travel Incorporated , her mindfulness coaching company that helps people navigate life's inevitable messiness using practical , science-backed tools . With a lot of heart , she's created workshops for organizations like NAMI , usc , miss USA organization , where she recently made history as the first ever mindfulness coach for Miss California , usa , and she somehow finds a way to blend mental health , music and comedy in her podcast getting mental and in her one woman show of the same name . Her story is proof that healing doesn't have to be heavy and that joy can be revolutionary , so I'm so glad that you're here , brenda . Thank you for being here today .
Speaker 2Thank you , Thank you . Oh my gosh , that was like such an incredible intro . I want to be intro'd like that everywhere I go yes , well , and I know you were recently .
Speaker 1I want to get into your story but I know I was pretty excited that you were at the West LA NAMI gala recently , which was super exciting . Can you tell us a little bit about that , about your involvement with NAMI and what that was like and the gala and the excitement we might as well , start fun right .
Speaker 2Yeah , absolutely
Growing Up With Instability and Finding Purpose
Speaker 2so . Yeah , I am a presenter for NAMI , the National Alliance on Mental Illness . It's the nation's largest grassroots mental health organization and I've been a presenter for NAMI for about oh man , like going six years , for a little over six years and I speak to middle schools and high schools all the time through NAMI , through their Ending the Silence program , and I also do more work . This is through the NAMI Westside LA affiliate and then I do more work for other affiliates as well and we do a lot of speaking . I speak at psych boards as well . All the time , I speak at universities , I speak everywhere on mental health , and NAMI has an annual gala NAMI Westside LA but this year they partnered with NAMI National and NAMI California and they had it at the Beverly Hills Hotel .
Speaker 1It was incredible .
Speaker 2It was so rad . So I was doing the official Instagram takeover and I was the official correspondent of the evening for NAMI Westside , la . And that was incredible . Connecting with so many like-minded , beautiful , empathetic , passionate , purpose-driven individuals who truly care about humanity and want to make this world a better place . That was incredible .
Speaker 1Yeah , I imagine , and you , when we sort of alluded to this in your introduction you've lived through a lot immigration and I'm guessing instability to this in your introduction . You've lived through a lot immigration and I'm guessing instability 15 homes while growing up that's pretty difficult and a late ADHD diagnosis . How did those things , and maybe other things , contribute to how you ended up where you are today , being an advocate for mental health ? That's a great question .
Speaker 2I lived in 15 homes . I attended 11 different schools . I know wild right . I think about that now and I go dang . I really didn't know when my last day was going to be out of school . But how has it contributed .
Speaker 2Growing up , you know , I've always been a very empathetic person , was very empathetic , very . I grew up really fast . I had to grow up really , really fast and I know that in everything that I do I want to infuse that , hey , you're not alone , feeling I'm right here with you . You know I've been through that and you don't have to go through it alone , because I felt very alone a lot growing up , but luckily , because I never stopped talking and I made a career out of it . I would talk to a lot of counselors and teachers about what I was going through and they provided me the positive reinforcement I needed to keep going . They provided that , hey , you're going to make it , you're going to be okay , you're smart , you're resilient , you're this , you're that , and that helped tremendously . I would not be here if it wasn't for those teachers and counselors and people that I trusted . So I want to be that person to as many people as I can , because I could have easily gone another route .
Speaker 1You know , you and I have connected . We know each other offline and we have in some ways similar stories growing up , in some ways very different , but one thing that is similar is . I had a lot of instability growing up , and I did not have what you had , which was that impetus to talk with people about it , and so I'm wondering if you have a sense of where that inner knowingness to reach out came from for you . Good question .
Speaker 2This . I say this in a lot of podcast episodes , because people ask me this all the time . They're like how did you know , like how to reach out and who to talk to , and I I wish I had a better answer , but I I just simply knew , like my intuition , I had a very strong intuition as a child and I it was very loud , very , very loud intuition , and so I felt like I was always guided , I was always protected .
Speaker 2There was always something that led me to go hey , go talk to this person . Hey , we need to do this because we're here on a big mission . I just I knew it since I was a child on a big mission . I just I knew it since I was a child . I remember when I was five , my mom would ask me to grab my toys because we were going to send them to our cousins in Mexico . And I said why ? Like you know , I was just curious , not like , oh , I don't want to no no , I was just like why , how come ?
Speaker 2And she goes because they don't have toys . And I'm like what ? They don't have toys ? And she goes no , these are going to be the first toys that they're going to receive this year . I quickly packed up all of my toys and I'm like send it to them . And I just in that moment I realized , wow , I actually have the power to make someone happy . Like I can do that . And she was like they're going to be so happy .
Speaker 2They're going to relish . In this , you're helping them be happy , and so I knew I had that power from my young .
Speaker 2And because I knew I had that power , I was like I want to , you know , expand this power . I want to , like , bring this power to as big as like , make it as big as possible . So I knew at a very young age that I was here to do that , and then I again that here to do that , and then I again that I could do that , and then I needed to do that . It was like a need , it was a purpose . Yeah , maybe it was that . Maybe that led me , as a teen , to go . You know what , you got to talk to someone because we're here on a big mission and we got to make sure we make it out and that not only do we make it out , but that we're thriving so that we can help as many people as possible .
Speaker 1Yeah , I mean I . That lands well with me . That sounds like it makes sense that it was this inner knowingness of having some sort of greater purpose in your life and like , wow , I better , I won't put words in your mouth , but I'll use mine . Like I better get my , I better get my shit together right , like I gotta get some help on this journey so that I can fulfill that purpose , which is to help others . Right , I love that . How was that for you as you moved around ? You know 11 different schools , 15 different homes , young parents . It sounds like you're at least from the story that you told that there was some support there for you , despite the fact that you had young parents . Is that right ?
Speaker 2Yeah , the support came from my parents' friends . They came from teachers , counselors , my friends . They came from my friend's parents , you know . So there was always people around that I felt like I could trust . But , you know , unfortunately , my parents ,
Discovering Mindfulness and Managing ADHD
Speaker 2they and this plagues so many parents who aren't educated about mental health , you know . But growing up they were like you have a roof over your head , you have clothes on your back , you know , you have food on the table .
Speaker 2What are you complaining about ? You know , like , why are you depressed ? Why are you anxious ? Why are you this ? You know , and just study , we had to walk 1000 miles to school back in the day and I'm like , no , you didn't . I'm like , don't lie , our backpacks were a hundred pounds . No , they weren't . But but you know , they , they didn't , they couldn't relate because to them they're like we sacrificed our entire life for her and she's out here complaining that she's sad and anxious and all this stuff . But she's living in America now , you know , and she's , so I'm able to see the nuance and that I'm able to see , like , okay , I can understand . That being said , you know , if it wasn't for me talking to counselors and teachers and everybody else that was around , that was trustworthy . Yeah , I don't , I don't , I don't think I'd be here .
Speaker 1Yeah , and that goes to you know . Thankfully , there was a system in place , or at least people in place who did understand . So , even though your parents were supportive , they didn't really understand mental health needs , but there were people in your life who could understand that , which I think really goes to what you're doing now right , being one of those people , being a big part of people's lives to support them in their mental health journey , whatever that may be and I mean it sounds like your upbringing , I'm imagining , gave you a lot of resilience and empathy for others . Was there a moment other than when you were five and you shipped off all your toys ? Was there any other moment where you just had that moment of clarity of like I've got to serve people in this way , like I have been helped and therefore I am resilient , I am empathetic , I'm in this position and I need to support other people .
Speaker 2Yeah , absolutely . I've always known that was my purpose . I remember in fourth grade a peer's house burned . As soon as we found out , I immediately told my dad let's grab all the stuff that we don't need in this house , like , let's go donate it to her , let's give it to her . I cleaned out my closet for her . And then in high school a girl's house was broken into and I immediately was like let's grab everything that we can so that we can , you know , help her .
Speaker 2So I've always had that . I've always had that hey , let me help , let me be here , I can do it . And it's like I've always had this resilience mindset . I guess you can say this , this let me put this on my shoulders . You know , I was number one peer counselor in high school as well . Teachers would take me out of my classroom while I was taking a test because their students were having breakdowns and the only person they wanted to talk to in the entire school was me . So my teachers were like okay , go go talk to them , come back and take your tests afterwards , you know , and and so I've always had this . But any moments that I would see somebody be in need , my response was always let me rush in and see what I can do to help .
Speaker 1So yeah , yeah , and was there a point at which you realized , okay , not only can I just help people in general , but I can be an advocate for mental health in particular ?
Speaker 2I've always been really open about mental health . It's that inner knowing , you know , that would always tell me we're here to do things differently , we're here to talk .
Speaker 1Yeah , and I think you know I mean that's so important to get across , because I think we all at least that's my experience we all have that inner knowing . It's just that most of us don't listen to it . We brush it off . Oh , you know , my parents told me I should do this , or society tells me I should do that instead , or that this is valuable or that that's more valuable , and we often don't listen to that inner knowingness . So it's so important for people to hear this that you know , when you do listen to it , like things work out Right , you are living in alignment with , with your purpose Right and able to help other people while doing that . Not that everyone has to run off and become a mental health advocate or a comedian or a mindfulness teacher or a coach or you know anything like that . We all have our ways that we can contribute to the stream of life . It's just that you happened to listen to what your gut was telling you , your inner knowingness was telling you .
Speaker 2And also back to your question . It made me remember when I first saw my first therapist . I was 19 . And I went to her because I was having these debilitating panic attacks out of nowhere and I knew that I needed to talk to somebody about this . So somebody a professional , now a therapist . She introduced me to mindfulness and meditation and it completely changed my life completely . But it wasn't until six years later that I would see my second therapist and she's the one that introduced me to the idea of exploring my behaviors more . And then she's the one that goes have you ever been diagnosed with ADHD ? I'm like no . And she goes you have every symptom and character of someone who has ADHD . It would explain why I'll start a million projects and then get super bored midway and then don't finish them .
Speaker 2And the way to cope with that is to start a new project , and then I'm like , oh yay , novelty . But then I feel like crap because I left the other ones unfinished . So now I'm getting anxiety . I'm like oh crap , and then I feel like a failure . So then depression sets in . Oh crap , and then I feel like a failure . So then depression sets in . So it's like this cycle of excitement , anxiety , depression , excitement , anxiety , depression over and over . I know you have ADHD , we have ADHD , and when it's unmanaged , that's what happens right .
Speaker 2Yes , right . So when I began to manage it , when I began to incorporate all these mindfulness tools , a lot of DBT , a lot of and mind you , I majored in psychology in college , so that was already a hyper focus fixation for me I realized , oh my gosh , more people need to know this , because I see dysregulation all day , every day with other people .
Speaker 2And I'm like no , no , no , we can feel good , we can feel really good , you know . And then that's when , back to your question . I guess , yeah , like that was one of the moments that I went I have to bring this on a bigger scale . I have to , like , let people know that you can feel really good . You can create better structures , better systems . You can love yourself , you can rewire your brain . You absolutely can , and you don't have to be a victim of circumstance . You really don't . Your upbringing does not define
Making Mental Health Fun Through Comedy
Speaker 2you . Mental health conditions don't define you . You define you and you just you got to do the inner work and you can , because you're worthy and deserving of it .
Speaker 1So yeah , and hyper focus and vast amount of empathy for other people and being able to bring it to others in a way that is understandable , right and accessible , rather than some lofty pie in the sky . And nothing wrong with therapy a big believer in therapy but some people you know they're intimidated by that and so they needed a more accessible starting point and they can relate to someone like you or someone like me or someone just a regular person who they can identify with with their experience of like oh , there's another person out there who feels that way , or who has done that thing , or who has experienced this and has come out the other side right , like that's the important piece , not just the identification , but the hope and the actual action steps for getting to the other side Right , like this is how you do it . I have so many things I want to follow up on it , but for all your listeners and everybody watching .
Speaker 2Like I truly , truly admire Melissa and everything that she does and her energy period is so beautiful and I'm so honored to be here , I had the busiest of busiest last few weeks . I mean , my schedule is always busy , let's be honest , but , like the last two weeks have been absolutely bananas and I was looking forward to this , so so much so yeah , oh , thank you .
Speaker 1We definitely have a lot of levels of connection and one of them not just the ADHD is this mindfulness piece , and you spoke about how that kind of like rocked your world . That changed how things really . I mean that and getting the diagnosis of ADHD and learning how to deal with that were pretty pivotal moments . What was it about mindfulness that rocked your world , do you think ?
Speaker 2Great question . Yeah , I want to say it's . It was the fact that it was pretty easy . It was pretty easy and the effects were almost instant , the positive effects , and I just thought no way where has this been my whole life ?
Speaker 2Why aren't they teaching us breathwork in schools ? Why aren't they teaching breathwork anywhere ? I'm like what ? What's going on ? And , mind you , this was , you know , over a decade ago , and now you teach breathwork , I teach breathwork . Thank goodness that there's now more of us who are out there doing , you know , this kind of work , but back then , over a decade ago , there really wasn't . For me , it was like this light bulb went off . Wow , these tools are very easy and with consistency and discipline , they really do rewire the body and mind 100% .
Speaker 1And I mean I think it's interesting because you were untreated , undiagnosed ADHD yeah , truly had it , and you were able to engage in mindfulness practices . And a lot of people out there , adhd or not , will think I can't . I , you know I can't do mindfulness because I can't sit still or I have way too many thoughts , or you know there's no way I could quiet my mind . What do you have to say to that ?
Speaker 2Yeah , it's true , it's so true . I was there at first with the sitting still part . It was a little hard for me to do that and sometimes the silence did feel deafening , and I hear that from a lot of my clients as well , because I do not just one-on-one coaching but I do workshops . I do really big workshops for corporate , non-profit schools , and so for me when I first started , the whole sitting with still not listening to anything was a little tough . But what I did is I ended up creating a formula where I incorporated self-edgo frequencies and music into the meditations and I made them pretty short and then I would either do some sort of physical movement right afterwards and then we would go right back into it so that we can stimulate the mind but yet calm the body , so that we can trick the mind and body to be calm in a very high stimulus environment . So it was something that I needed to , something that I began to do and it was working for me . So then I began to teach this to my clients and it was working for them . And so you know , then now when I do workshops for corporate , nonprofits and schools and events and all that stuff , I do that with them .
Speaker 2Because I have people like that , I say that all them . Because I have people like that . I say that all the time . They're like oh my God , I've tried this meditation thing . It's not going to work for me . But then they try my formula and then they're like wait what ? Where has this been ?
Speaker 2And that person may have ADHD , may not , but yeah , it's something that our brains thrive on stimulation , right , right . So it's about making these tools like that .
Speaker 1I love that and because I mean there's and I talk with people too about this like you don't there's no one way to meditate like this idea of a monk sitting on a cushion , you know , at the top of some mountaintop cool if that's you right , but it doesn't have to be right and in fact it often is , like you said , incorporating movement or focusing on breath and really doing some either intensive or other types of breath work that gives your mind something to focus on , or , you know , walking meditation again , or introducing music or all these different ways that we can practice mindfulness , and it works for anyone , adhd or not , and it is a game changer , right , I know , for me . I was so excited by the way . I was looking at your website and I was like , oh , she met Jack Kornfield . That is so cool .
Speaker 1So Jack Kornfield for those who are listening who are like , who's Jack Kornfield ? He is an amazing mindfulness , western mindfulness teacher . He's been around for decades and decades and he helped found Insight Meditation Society with Joseph Goldstein and Sharon Salzberg , I think a million years ago , and also Spirit Rock Meditation Center in California . I just can't get excited enough about him because he was my first mindfulness teacher at Spirit Rock Meditation Center in California . I just can't get excited enough about him because he was my first mindfulness teacher at Spirit Rock Meditation Center and so I was really excited that you got to meet him and his wife and got to practice with him , and so I don't know if you remember that moment you wrote about it , but if you do , like , what was your , your takeaway from that practice in that meeting with with Jack ?
Speaker 2Yeah , oh , my gosh . Well , first of all , that is so cool that he was your first teacher as well . That is so rad . That first moment with Jack Kornfield I was pretty starstruck . I don't get starstruck , but you know what I mean . Like when you connect with someone like that and that person is just . I truly was very grateful to share that space with him and to meditate with him . That was so special . I guess , to summarize it just the word is very special . And then getting to talk to him afterwards too was very special .
Speaker 1So I think you know and kind of the message that is for folks to find someone , whether it's you or Jack Kornfield or me or somebody else . Do you like how I put us in with Jack Kornfield ?
Speaker 1I love that Great great job Because we just belong there . But you know whatever it is to have a mentor , a teacher , a facilitator who can help along the way , right , who's maybe been where you have been before and knows the pitfalls , knows exactly how the crazy brain works and how to settle it and how to settle the nervous system it can be really , really helpful . In other words and I think this is often so much your message you don't have to do it alone .
Speaker 2You are not alone . You know , and you can have fun doing this , and that's one of the things that I want to emphasize with my work and what I do really want to eliminate that stigma that it has to be this like really dark , heavy , you know , negative thing , but whenever I talk about ADHD , I always say it's my superpower . You know , whenever I talk about my ADHD , it is my superpower . I don't like to think of it as anything negative or anything bad . You know at all . When managed , it's my superpower . When unmanaged , yeah , I'll stare at the wall wondering why butterflies have their wings when I should be writing emails .
Speaker 2But you know it's something that my ADHD has allowed me to juggle so many different things at once . It's allowed me to be able to hyper focus , to teach myself things . You know we have the gift of hyper focus . Not not everybody does it . You know there's so many gifts with with having ADHD and that's that's what one of the main messages that I that I like to convey that again , mental health conditions don't define you and that we're really not alone . We're all in this together . Someone has , everybody has something .
Speaker 1And I love how you say you incorporate fun . So let's talk a little bit about how you
Podcasting Journey and Comedy Career Beginnings
Speaker 1do that . So when you're giving these workshops , you know , to schools or to organizations affiliated with NAMI or you know corporations like how are you incorporating fun ? I mean a lot of people would be like I don't know , fun , mental health , fun , mental health . How do we do that ? So how , how is it that you're able to embrace both fun and also talk about mental health ?
Speaker 2That's a great question . Thank you for asking that . Well , as a comedian , I love to blend a lot of standup comedy with my workshops . So not only am I sharing , you know , these like funny personal anecdotes , but I'm sharing like funny stories that everybody can relate to .
Speaker 2Regarding a situation of the topic that I just covered , for example , when I was giving a Spanish workshop , because I also do Spanish workshops and so when I was doing this , there was about 200 people in the room and I tailor my workshops to the age groups , the demographic and all this stuff whenever everything I make is tailor made , demographic and all this stuff , whatever , everything I make is tailor-made . So when I was hired to do this , this big workshop , all in Spanish , I saw that the demographic was around the age of my aunts and uncles , okay , and they were Latinos . So I'm like , oh , perfect , like what I'm about to start talking about anxiety and this , this topic over here . And so I this absolutely crushed at the at the workshop , because when I brought up the topic of anxiety , I kind of saw some people get a little uncomfortable because , you know , they're older , latino , latino and the Latino community , like people don't talk about mental health . You know , it's a boo , it's for people who are weak minded quote , unquote , you know , but it's something that , again , I really want to eliminate with humor and education . So when I've gotten to the topic of anxiety , I saw some people kind of be like I'm gonna butcher it because it's in English .
Speaker 2Okay , I said something , like you know , with anxiety , you know , some of us are , some of us are familiar , some of us are not . Right , I'm like kind of quiet and I'm like , well , I mean , I don't know , growing up my my uncle , I love him to death , love my uncle . But you know he would get his six pack of beer and I named the specific beer that a lot of Latinos drink , and so they're like , oh , and I'm like , and he'd grab his six pack , he'd start playing Caifanes , and Caifanes is a Mexican . Well , they're a Spanish rock band and they're huge with their demographic .
Speaker 2I said so we start playing Caifanes , you know , and he'd be like I'm going to go in here and I'm going to go hang out with Caifanes you know , and then I started to act as if I was my uncle right grabbing his beer . And then , as he was grabbing his beer , he was like I don't have anxiety , I don't have anxiety , but don't bother me , for eight hours while I listen to Caifanes by myself , by myself , okay , by myself . No one bugged me for eight hours right , I might get another six pack with .
Speaker 1Caifanes .
Speaker 2And if I turn on Mana afterwards , don't even bother me . Mana is another like Spanish rock band , and so everyone was like , oh my gosh , does that mean that he has anxiety ? Right ? Because then now they're like wait a minute , we do that , or we know someone who does that . Does that mean they have anxiety , right ? So now it's like they're laughing , but they're being educated and they're going wait a minute , we relate to that . Is that what's going on with our loved one , right ?
Speaker 1Right , I love that , yeah . So bringing in that comedy , that identification piece , I love that , yeah . So bringing in that comedy , that identification piece , that education all in one and , like you said , tailor making that for each audience , right , like , obviously you're not going to do that talk with , let's say , predominantly Caucasian corporate guys , you know , in there .
Speaker 2Right , it's going to be a different .
Speaker 1You're going to relate to them in a very different way . But you're able to do that , which is awesome , and I mean you're highly creative . You have had a podcast called getting mental where you talk a lot about mental health , and I understand you're going to be relaunching that , but you have incredible episodes on that . What got you interested in creating podcasts ?
Speaker 2Thank you for saying that . And yes , I am revamping it . I'm relaunching it this year , which is really great . What made me want to get into podcasting ? Well , I got my start at the world famous comedy store in Hollywood and a comedy legend who is a an old friend of mine . I hadn't seen him in years and I was there to see a friend of a friend perform . But when I texted my friend , I went hey , are you going to be at the at the store ? And he goes yeah , I will . I'm like great .
Speaker 2So when I was there and I met him , met up with him , he ended up having an anxiety attack and I was , and he didn't know what to do . So I went hey , let's , can you take me somewhere where it's quiet and I can do a breath work technique with you and I , and it'll help . And he goes yeah , of course . So we went backstage and I'm doing this like breathing technique with him and he's like oh my gosh , he goes . This is the first time that I've felt relaxed in a very long time . How can I repay you ? And I said , oh , no , nothing . I said just just your friendship . I was like I don't need anything , this is what I do and I hadn't seen him in so long . So he goes no , come and hang out tonight at the store , and you know it's the least I could do . I said , great , so he's introducing me to all these comic legends .
Speaker 2And by the end of the night he goes . You know , you're a comedian and I go what ? And he goes you're a comedian and I go , no way . I'm like , I mean , I've always , I was always like the funny friend , but to actually pursue it as a career , I never thought so . I just thought no , no way .
Speaker 2And he goes no , yes , you are , come here every Tuesday . I do podcasting
Finding Belonging Through Performance and Purpose
Speaker 2here . He goes I'll teach you the ropes on podcasting and learn from your peers , because these are now like these . You are a comedian , so this is your , this is your family . So I started doing that and I was there all of a sudden , four times a week . I was at the comedy store and I was part of different shows . I was learning podcasting from him . And then the pandemic happened about two years later . That's when I realized this is the time to launch the podcast called Getting Mental , and George Lopez ended up becoming a big fan of it . So he reached out and was like we need to do more of this , we need to talk more about mental health , we need this . And then I began to collaborate with his charity . So you know , it's been a fun ride .
Speaker 1That's amazing . And then you also have a show called getting mental right .
Speaker 2I had a one woman show , yeah , and it's called getting mental on the live stream , cause it was a live stream .
Speaker 1Wow , tell us a little bit about what that was like to do a one woman show .
Speaker 2Yeah , oh , that was the honestly the most fun I've ever had . Ever , I think . I was writing and composing on the piano . It was a musical , it was a one-woman show comedy musical with a purpose , and so I sang and I composed all these songs about mental health and my own mental health journey to raise awareness on it . And , man , I just remember for two months I was like hold up in my apartment . I would wake up at six in the morning , immediately start writing and go to sleep at like midnight with like a pen and paper in my hand , and then I'd wake up again at six and like do it all over again and it the most fun I had . I looked like a very unstable person , though during that time .
Speaker 2I had pizza boxes on the floor , I had papers taped to the wall with lyrics and songs and I was doing my whole vision storytelling board on the wall . It was bananas , but it was the most fun I've ever had ever . And oh no , thank you for asking that . That just really brought me back . That really brought me back . That was such a fun time , knowing that this was going to be a comedy musical for others to enjoy and to hopefully be inspired by it and feel less alone by it .
Speaker 1So well , and I love that your work is focused on that . And such a big part of my own journey and my own work is feeling finding belongingness right . And defining belongingness is not just being what people expect , but actually being who we really are and feeling like we belong and that we are accepted and loved for the way that we are , and so much of your work is about that message , which I love . Is there a time in your life where you were able to tap into that belongingness , where you really just felt like tap into that belongingness where you really just felt like I really do belong .
Speaker 2I , brenda am exactly who I am . I am living my purpose . People get me and I feel like I belong here .
Speaker 1Was there ever a time where I felt like I did belong ? Well , yeah , I mean , what are the times when you felt maybe the most aligned with that form of belongingness ?
Speaker 2Now I understand , thank you Honestly , any time I'm performing , anytime I'm performing , anytime I'm coaching , anytime I'm recording a podcast episode , anytime I'm having a deep conversation with someone , moments I feel I feel so good , I feel like this is is you know , this is what I'm here for . This is a deep , deep sense of belonging . But especially when I do my workshops , oh my gosh , I love that . I am buzzing afterwards because I know that someone there had to have been at least just one person in that room that I know felt better and just felt seen and heard and understood . And that's what we're here to do , you know , that's . That's . We're here to help others feel that way .
Speaker 1At least that's that's how you feel . Really connected to other people too is when you're performing and you can sense that energy from the people who are present with you . It's that give and take , that vibe that is ongoing between you and the group that you're with , and that is something that you know . I think we , as humans , are born to do and we don't all get to experience it that much . Is there anything that you know ? If somebody is feeling right here right now and they're listening to this and they're like , oh well , that sounds really great , that'll never happen for me . Or maybe they're a little bit more pre contemplative and they're like , okay , how , what do I need to do to have that feeling ? Any messages that you could give that person ?
Speaker 2Absolutely . One of the things that I love to talk about with my clients , and just anyone in general that is open to this , is talking to them about the inner child , your inner child , your outer child . Everybody has that . Everybody has an inner child and an outer child outer child . Everybody has that . Everybody has an inner child and an outer child . And when you learn how to connect with your inner child and outer child , aka your unconscious and your subconscious , the little you and the teenage you , when you learn how to connect with them and have them be in harmony with you , the adult you , it's the most magical feeling , because you really do feel not alone , and it doesn't stem from anything external , it doesn't stem from needing to perform or needing the validation over here you know , like it doesn't come from anything outside , but from yourself , and this is something that I'm going to be teaching in the upcoming course that I'm creating Cause .
Speaker 2I'm creating a course for y'all .
Speaker 1Do you have a name for it or not yet ?
Speaker 2Not yet not yet , but I'm very excited because my team and I are working on it right now . So it's yeah , it's going to be really fun , but this is one of the topics that I I talk about and I've had such success with not only with myself when it comes to applying this , but my clients . One thing that I can say is if you're not a performer , if you're like , how do I have this feeling of belonging ? Where can I get that ? If that's not what I do , start learning about your inner child . Get curious about what you liked to do as a child . Pick an age . Then start talking to your teen , your teen self . What were they like ? Start connecting with them and be open to feeling everything that they're going to tell you . It's not going to be a smooth ride at the beginning . It's not going to be like , oh , they're so happy .
Speaker 1No unicorns and rainbows .
Speaker 2No unicorns and rainbows . At first it's going to be like why did you leave me ? And it's like why did I leave you ?
Speaker 2No , everybody else did and I'm like what , oh my God , I'm so sorry , please stop . But then you're like , no , don't tell them to please stop . Hold them . Hold your inner child within you express themselves . Let them be and do what they want to do . Hold that for them . Reparent , reparent them . Reparent yourself . You're going to find that that belonging that you're craving has always been within you , and you can find it inside .
Speaker 1Yeah , that reparenting piece is huge . I remember when I started working with different parts of myself and when I first connected with that inner teen . That inner teen had a lot to say .
Speaker 2She was great , wasn't she ? She was great . I mean , I don't know , I'm speaking just for my mind was mine was mad , she was mad Mine was spicy , for sure . Have you seen those Instagram reels ? Have you seen them ? Where it's like now that you've reparented your inner child , now it's time to meet your outer child .
Connecting With Your Inner Child
Speaker 1And then it cuts to like a dinosaur and it's like I love it . Yeah , people are so creative . But it's true , and my experience as it sounds like it has been your experience is that when we are willing to go there with our different parts , whether they're in our child , in our teen or some other part Richard Schwartz , who talks about you know , internal family systems and working with the different parts , talks about that it's like we do , we realign right and we reassure those parts of ourselves that need the reassurance from the parent , the person that we've become , and it's such a healing process and I can't wait to hear more about this workshop and how you're going to take people through that process and support them in that reintegration , that reparenting . It's so exciting . What else do you have coming up , if anything ?
Speaker 2Let's see . So we got the podcast . It's going to be relaunching in 2025 . Very excited about that .
Speaker 2I'm working on the course for everyone to make it even more accessible , you know , for those who can't book me for a workshop or don't even know where else to go see me perform live or don't have the means for that at the moment . So the course is going to be available for everyone . So that's really excited and that's taking a lot of you know that I'm pouring my heart and soul into it , so it's consuming a lot . But I'm also revamping just everything , like my website . I'm revamping my workshops in person as well , not just the course , but I'm working with my graphic designer on that to create all new packets for that .
Speaker 2I have a lot going on . But I definitely owe my audience an apology for not being as active on social media this last year as I have been for the last six years . But you know I just have had so much going on with everything that I do that social media presence has kind of gone down a little bit , like me being so active . So I apologize , but I promise you it's . I'm working on on that as well and I will be a lot more active this year , just the way I have been for the last six years .
Speaker 1I think we all need a little bit of a cleanse sometimes . So I think your fans , including me , understand , and you know you've created so many different offerings . You know workshops , talks . I know you did mindfulness for folks to support them after the LA fires . You did the NAMI thing . I mean , like you're so busy with all these things , just amazing . How are you staying connected to your own creative spark , your own inner self , wisdom , your own calm , kind of sage self ?
Speaker 2That's a great question and that's actually one of the questions I asked a lot of the performers at the Namigala when I was interviewing them . That was , you know , these very successful in the public eye musicians and actors and you know again , just performers and it's something that we need to continuously ask . So thank you for asking how do I keep that alive ? I make sure that I meditate multiple times a day , even if sometimes I don't feel like it , but it's something that I'm very disciplined with because it allows me to take that moment to recenter reground connect to see what is it . What's the next thing that I need to ?
Speaker 2do Not the next thing I need to do because I want to get it over with or anything , but like what's the next aligned action that I need to do , and it's checking with myself . So that's huge . I live in Vegas now . The Red Rock Canyon mountains are over there . They're not too far from me , so I make sure that I go on hikes out there to ground and being in that energy is so wonderful . So that's huge .
Speaker 2I make sure that I laugh every single day . I have to find a moment where I am just laughing , whether it's me creating it or not , but I have to laugh . My boyfriend is an incredible audience member because I know how to make him laugh really well and I just love it . It gives me energy and I hear . I make sure that I stay connected with friends . I make sure that I'm sending a text here and there or , you know , trying to find something that I'm excited about . That isn't work related , I guess you can say , but it's very , it's very easy to blend a lot of my fun with work because I I love what I do so much , so it's like there's been times where I'm like I'm not working but no .
Speaker 1I am working , I'm working hard and I'm I'm like , no , but that's , I hardly work .
Speaker 2No , girl , girl , you haven't stopped . And I'm like , really , and like that's my inner guidance going girl , yeah , meditate right now . I'm like , oh , okay , so I've just , I've learned to take these meditation breaks and everything else I mentioned .
Speaker 1Yeah no , I think that's such a lovely way to live . And finally , as we're sort of circling toward the end here , is there anything that you were hoping we were going to talk about ? We didn't get a chance to talk about , that you want to talk about ?
Speaker 2Girl . We could talk forever . I think we covered a lot .
Speaker 2I would say , just like more inspiring tools . It's like the one thing that's just coming , you know , more inspiring tools for people to know that there are such vast different types of coping skills available and to be open . I guess , Maybe I just want to keep talking with you and I'm just trying to . I think I'm just trying to fit Cause you've done such an amazing job at asking such incredible questions and I'm like I can't even think of anything . I'm like , no , she's , you're amazing , and I'm like I just want to keep talking . Let's talk about this cup . Let's talk about cups .
Speaker 1What's the best way they can find out all about you and what you're up to ?
Speaker 2Yes , so I'm most active on my Instagram and the Instagram is official Brenda Z Z , just the letter Z as in zebra , so official Brenda Z and my website is by my full name , brenda Sarai Zunigacom , but that you can find a link on that to my Instagram . But those are the two places where they can find more information about me , anything up to date . Stick to Instagram . If you don't have one , please download an Instagram , just follow me and that's it .
Speaker 1Just follow one person .
Speaker 2And Melissa , two people .
Speaker 1I love it . I guess I want to end with maybe something fun what's lighting you up most right now ?
Speaker 2Ooh , it's lighting up most right now . See , this goes back to , you know , mixing that that work with with pleasure things , but just everything I'm doing , I'm really lit up by it , really lit up by the course , the workshops that I do . I love doing that , so that that always just lights me up . But okay , not not with work . Let's see what's lighting me up . Have you seen the white Lotus three ?
Speaker 1Yes , yes .
Speaker 2Oh my God . Oh my God . It's so good . It's so good so I not work related . What's lighting me up is reading all of the reddit and fandom about white lotus , season three oh , oh , my god .
Speaker 1There's so many little things that like I didn't know . But when you read those reddits
Self-Care Practices and Future Projects
Speaker 1or you know anything , it's like , oh , I didn't know , that . I just it kind of enriches the experience and for those who haven't seen it , they absolutely need to see it . And at first people might go , oh , white lotus , you know , isn't that a bunch of like overly privileged people living their overly privileged lives ? Yes , and there's like so much Buddhism in this particular season . That's really fascinating how that gets juxtaposed against all of this privilege and kind of narcissism , as well as this whole thing about friendship and the importance of friendship .
Speaker 2Yes , you summarized it perfectly . You nailed it , that's OK . Yes , I'm clearly so excited right now . First of all , I think they captured that female friendship between those three women so well when it comes to being friends with catty women , right , and just the complexity that comes with that . But I also wanted to let everyone know you don't have to have those types of friendships . You can have very deep , respectful , loving friendships . But yeah , I loved how there was that polarity between Buddhism and narcissism that was just so ever present with so many characters and balancing that Certainly it speaks to where we are as a culture right now .
Speaker 1To where we are as a culture right now . We have , like you said , this polarity with kind of this hyper individualistic , hyper narcissistic , overly privileging , doing and producing lifestyle that we have . And then this other competing desire and , I think , natural desire to be more of who we really are right and to be more aware and to be kinder and to be true to who we really are , like the one character , the security guard , and he really struggled with who he really is and what he wanted to be , and I won't give away the end , but so many of the characters struggled with that journey of who am I really ? And that's just where we are as a culture right , like who are we ? What are we meant to do ?
Speaker 2And I think they captured because a fun fact about me when I majored in psych in college , my field of expertise was narcissism . Okay , and I should say is because it's still my field of expertise narcissism , codependency and borderline personality disorders those were my field of expertise . I was so fascinated by these disorders . I was so fascinated that I studied the heck out of it and I help a lot of my clients that I have through one-on-ones . I help them a lot with narcissistic abuse recovery .
Speaker 2I'm very passionate about exposing narcissists and exposing narcissism and educating people on codependency and I um cause . That's a whole other rabbit hole . But narcissists are very dangerous individuals who can wreak havoc on people's lives and they get away with it a lot of the time because they are so charming on the outside to very shell and superficial relationships that they may have . A lot of people that they've been quote unquote friends with for even , let's say , a decade may not even know that they're dealing with a narcissist If that person is also on that narcissism spectrum , or if that person is also on that narcissism spectrum or if that person is like highly codependent , highly codependent . So the the reason why I bring this up is because I think they that white lotus season three did such a great job of capturing a classic codependent and narcissistic relationship dynamic with rick and ch .
Speaker 1Oh yeah , wow .
Speaker 2Yeah , that was classic , classic pairing , classic codependent and narcissist pairing , and I think they did such a phenomenal job of depicting that relationship . We could have a whole podcast episode .
Speaker 1I swear we could have a whole podcast episode on perfecting and analyzing .
Speaker 2I swear yeah , we can do that next time .
Speaker 1for sure , no , it's fascinating , and I yeah , no , I mean , I think you're spot on there . I wouldn't have captured that , but that's exactly dead on . So White Lotus is lighting you up , as are all the other amazing things that you're working on , and I really appreciate you taking the time today , especially . I know how busy you are and really feel very privileged that you were able to devote so much time with us here today , and I do really want to invite you back so that you can talk more about the course that you've created and how it's impacting people and what you're up to next . So I hope you will come back at a future date and I'm looking forward to hearing more .
Speaker 2Absolutely . I'd love to come back and I would love for you to be a guest on my podcast as well .
Speaker 1Oh , I would love to . Yes , oh , absolutely . Thank you again , brenda , and we will see you very soon . Thank you for joining me on the Fully Mindful podcast . If you got value from this episode , I'd love for you to subscribe , leave a review or share this episode with someone who loved this content too . Remember , small moments of mindfulness can lead to big changes in your day-to-day life . Until next time , take a deep breath , stay present and tap into your own mindfulness . I'll see you next week .