NAMI Ending the Silence

Educator
Resources

Guide to Getting Started

Preparing for the presentation

  1. Choose a date to offer Ending the Silence to your students or youth group.
  2. Notify those in charge of mental health supports at your school or organization so they're aware of the mental health education that you'll be providing. If you aren't aware of any mental health supports, do some research and identify them prior to offering Ending the Silence.
  3. Review the library of personal stories and choose the story(s) that will best meet the needs of your audience.
  4. Review the additional resources, including supplemental videos and downloadable activities, to enhance the Ending the Silence experience.

Day of presentation

  1. Connect with the mental health supports you identified while preparing for Ending the Silence so they can be available for any mental health needs of teens.
  2. Show the 25-minute Ending the Silence video.
  3. Show the personal story video(s) you've chosen for your classroom/group.
  4. Share any additional resources that you've chosen, as it relates to the needs of your classroom(s)/group(s).
  5. Give the students or youth group access to the student resources portal. They'll need your account's unique access key to access the site.
  6. Remember to fill out your evaluation — and have your students fill it out too!

Your Account

Details about your online access

Name
Steven Witta
State
Indiana
Student Resources Key
ETS-4x66lm3K
Active Until
Jul 1, 2026
Ending the Silence

English

Español

NAMI would like to give special thanks to NAMI Bucks County PA, NAMI Greater LA County, NAMI Philadelphia and NAMI Westside LA for their help with the magnificent casting for all Ending the Silence videos. We could not have done this without you!


Matthew Diep

Matthew bravely shares his personal story growing up in a community that was not accepting of his identity. He explains how struggles with hiding his identity, the relationship with his family, and cultural expectations from the community added to his mental health challenges until a breaking point was reached. Once Matthew started to put himself and his mental health first, he was able to find the best fit for support.

Priscilla Stephanie Molina

IN SPANISH. Priscilla shares her mental health journey. As a young child, Priscilla saw her brother struggle with schizophrenia, to the point of him experiencing homelessness. Her family was resistant to treatment because of stigma and culture, which made it hard for her to accept help when she began to feel her own symptoms of depression. But with the support of friends and, ultimately, her family, Priscilla got the help she deserved.

Ryder Davis

Ryder shares his personal journey with bipolar disorder, from the first signs of mania, to hospitalization, to a treatment center, and ultimately, to recovery. He learned to accept his condition and commit himself to recovery. He also explains his experiences with medication and treatment and that even though he still has to manage his condition, he's been able to thrive. He also emphasizes how positive it has been for him to share his mental health journey with friends and with other young people.

Juan Acosta

Juan shares his journey towards recognizing his mental health needs, which started by asking his parents for help, accessing peer support, and talking to friends. Juan highlights how he was able to normalize talking about mental health in his community and how he began surrounding himself with people who did not define him by his mental health conditions and struggles. Juan has become his most genuine, creative self because of this.

Eliana Lopez

Trigger warning: Suicidal Ideation. Eliana shares her personal story of mental illness. She began feeling symptoms as a six-year-old child, but didn't receive care until her symptoms were severe. Despite a misdiagnosis, self-blame, and a suicide attempt, Eliana finally got the help she needed. She also shares the difficulty of explaining her diagnosis to her family, and how important that open conversation was for her relationship with them. Ultimately, Eliana realized that her diagnoses don't define her, only she can define herself.

Carmen Rosales

Carmen shares her story living with schizoaffective disorder, bipolar type. The challenges and stigma that she experienced at home and in school prevented her from speaking up when she started noticing signs that she was dealing with a mental health condition. She explains the importance of confiding in a trusted adult to get the care that a person needs sooner. Carmen teaches us why it is important to speak up about your feelings and treat them as worthy.

Brenda Sarai Zuniga

Brenda shares her journey to her ADHD diagnosis. As an undocumented immigrant from Mexico, she faced difficulties with her parents because mental health was a taboo topic in her household. Through therapy, medication, and positive coping skills, Brenda shares how well she's doing today.

Richelle Mintz

Richelle shares her personal mental health story, which began when she started experiencing panic attacks at age 10. She made the brave decision to be vulnerable and ask for the support that she needed a few years later, which led to her getting the treatment she needed. Richelle explains why there should not be stigma around medication or any of the various types of treatment, and how every person has a unique fit for them in terms of support.

Angelique Henderson

Angelique opens up about her journey with a sibling with bipolar disorder while growing up in a Black Caribbean household in New York. Despite being extremely involved in school and activities, Angelique faced mental health challenges that ended up isolating her from the things and people she loved, and pushed her to have suicidal ideation. Angelique finally opened up to her parents, who assisted her in getting help from a therapist. Her road to recovery was long and complicated, but she's now living well because of her work on herself.

Britt Turpack

Britt courageously tells the story about the bumpy road of her mental health journey. She explains why it is important to not let shame and fear of labels prevent a person from looking for mental health support. Once she started putting her mental health first in relationships with herself and others, she was more easily able to do this in all areas of her life. Now, Britt is better able to cope during challenging days using the professional and personal supportive spaces she has created.

Reginald A. Howard

Trigger warning: suicide, self-harm. Reggie shares his story of trauma and fear from guns and other violence that caused him in part to experience mental health conditions, including depression and anxiety. After becoming a father at an early age, his anxiety became overwhelming to the point of two suicide attempts. After researching mental health help, he joined a NAMI support group and sought therapy, despite a heavy stigma in his community. Now, Reggie has found hope and balance in his life.

Katie Zamos

In sharing her personal story dealing with bullying, anxiety, and depression, Katie describes how she was able to access mental health support once she decided to reach out to her school's vice principal. By allowing a trusted adult into her life, Katie no longer needed to follow her journey alone. She explains how she navigated what worked and what didn't, and how this is a normal process. Once she was willing to explore her options, Katie was more quickly able to locate resources for when she needed them.

Matthew Diep

Matthew cuenta con valentía su historia personal, cómo fue crecer en una comunidad que no aceptaba su identidad. Explica cómo la lucha para ocultar su identidad, la relación con su familia y las expectativas culturales de la comunidad fueron factores adicionales para sus desafíos de salud mental hasta que llegó a un punto cúlmine. Cuando Matthew comenzó a priorizar su salud mental, pudo encontrar la mejor opción para la ayuda.

Priscilla Stephanie Molina

EN ESPAÑOL. Priscilla comparte su recorrido con la salud mental. Cuando era niña, Priscilla vio a su hermano sufrir a causa de la esquizofrenia, hasta el punto en que se quedó sin casa. Su familia se resistía al tratamiento debido al estigma y a su cultura, lo que hizo que fuera difícil para ella aceptar cuando comenzó a sentir sus propios síntomas de depresión. Pero con el apoyo de sus amigos y, en última instancia, su familia, Priscilla obtuvo la ayuda que necesitaba.

Ryder Davis

Ryder comparte su recorrido personal con el trastorno bipolar, desde los primeros signos de manía hasta la hospitalización, su estadía en un centro de tratamiento y, en última instancia, la recuperación. Aprendió a aceptar su condición y se comprometió con su recuperación. También explica sus experiencias con los medicamentos y el tratamiento, y, aunque todavía tiene que manejar su condición, ha podido desarrollarse exitosamente. También destaca cuán positivo le ha resultado compartir su travesía de salud mental con sus amigos y otros jóvenes.

Juan Acosta

Juan nos cuenta el recorrido que tuvo hacer hasta reconocer sus necesidades de salud mental, lo que comenzó con pedirle ayuda a sus padres, acceder al apoyo de pares y hablar con amigos. Juan resalta cómo pudo normalizar el hablar sobre la salud mental en su comunidad y cómo empezó a rodearse de personas que no lo definían por su condiciones de salud mental y su lucha. Gracias a esto, Juan ha logrado alcanzar su máxima expresión de genuinidad y creatividad.

Eliana Lopez

Advertencia desencadenante: ideas suicidas. Eliana comparte su historia personal con las condiciones de salud mental. Comenzó a tener síntomas cuando tenía seis años, pero no obtuvo atención hasta que sus síntomas se volvieron intensos. A pesar de un mal diagnóstico, la culpa personal y un intento de suicidio, Eliana finalmente pudo acceder a la ayuda que necesitaba. También relata lo difícil que le resultó compartir su diagnóstico con su familia y la importancia que tuvo esa conversación sincera para su relación con ellos. Por último, Eliana se dio cuenta de que su diagnóstico no la define y que solo ella puede definirse.

Carmen Rosales

Carmen comparte su historia de cómo vive con el trastorno esquizoafectivo del tipo bipolar. Los desafíos y el estigma que sufrió en su hogar y en la escuela impedían que pudiera hablar cuando comenzó a notar signos de que estaba lidiando con una condición de salud mental. Explica la importancia de hablar con un adulto de confianza para obtener la atención necesaria rápidamente. Carmen nos enseña la importancia de hablar sobre nuestros sentimientos, sin pasarlos por alto.

Brenda Sarai Zuniga

Brenda nos cuenta su travesía con el diagnóstico de TDAH. Como inmigrante indocumentada mexicana, tuvo problemas con sus padres porque la salud mental era un tema tabú en su hogar. A través de la terapia, los medicamentos y las habilidades de superación positivas, Brenda nos cuenta que ahora está sintiéndose muy bien.

Richelle Mintz

Richelle comparte su historia personal de salud mental, que comenzó a los 10 años con ataques de pánico. Unos años más tarde, tomó la valiente decisión de mostrarse vulnerable y buscar la ayuda que necesitaba, lo que le permitió recibir el tratamiento que necesitaba. Richelle explica que no debería haber un estigma alrededor del tema de los medicamentos o cualquiera de los tipos de tratamiento, y cómo hay un tipo de apoyo para cada tipo de persona.

Angelique Henderson

Advertencia desencadenante: Ideas suicidas. Angelique se sincera sobre lo que vivió con su hermano, quien sufría trastorno bipolar, durante su infancia en un hogar negro caribeño en Nueva York. A pesar de estar muy involucrada en las actividades escolares, Angelique se enfrentó a desafíos de salud mental que terminaron aislándola de las cosas y las personas que amaba, y que la llevaron a tener ideas suicidas. Angelique finalmente habló con sus padres, quienes la ayudaron a obtener ayuda de un terapeuta. Su camino a la recuperación fue largo y complicado, pero actualmente vive bien debido al trabajo que ha dedicado a sí misma.

Britt Turpack

Con mucha valentía, Britt cuenta la historia de su difícil recorrido por la salud mental. Nos explica por qué es importante no dejar que la vergüenza y el temor de ser etiquetado evite que alguien busque ayuda de salud mental. Cuando comenzó a priorizar su salud mental en las relaciones con ella misma y con los demás, le resultó más fácil hacerlo en todas las áreas de su vida. Ahora, Britt está mejor preparada para superar los días complicados con el uso de los espacios de apoyo profesional y personal que creó.

Reginald A. Howard

Advertencia desencadenante: Suicidio, autolesión. Reggie cuenta que su trauma y su miedo a las armas y a otro tipo de violencia hicieron que tuviera depresión y ansiedad. Después de convertirse en padre a muy corta edad, su ansiedad se hizo intolerable, al punto que tuvo dos intentos de suicidio. Después de investigar las diferentes opciones de salud mental, se unió a un grupo de apoyo de NAMI y empezó a hacer terapia, a pesar del fuerte estigma que pesaba en su comunidad. Ahora, Reggie ha alcanzado la esperanza y el equilibrio en su vida.

Katie Zamos

Al compartir su historia personal de bullying, ansiedad y depresión, Katie describe cómo pudo acceder al apoyo de salud mental cuando decidió hablar con la vicedirectora de la escuela. Al permitirse confiar en un adulto, Katie ya no tuvo que continuar su recorrido en soledad. Explica cómo atravesó cosas que la ayudaron y otras que no lo hicieron, lo que es parte del proceso normal. Cuando estuvo dispuesta a analizar sus opciones, Katie pudo ubicar los recursos que necesitaba.

Self-Harm

Richelle shares what self-harm is, why this negative coping-skill might happen, and ways to treat it.

LGBTQI+

Coming out can be a scary, difficult thing. The questions of whether support will be available and how to find it can be even more overwhelming. In this video, three LGBTQI+ identifying presenters discuss their own journeys coming out and how they were able to get support for their mental health while prioritizing their identities.

Positive Coping Skills

Britt shares what positive coping skills are and how to develop a mental health toolkit so that we don't fall into negative coping strategies. Britt also talks about the specific skills that help her cope.

PTSD/Trauma

In this resource video, Carmen talks us through her experience of being bullied and working through post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). She explains common symptoms of trauma and how they can be recognized. Carmen also outlines helpful steps to take towards finding support for anyone dealing with trauma themselves.

Treatment Options

Ryder talks about the many different mental health treatment options, like medication, one-on-one therapy, and group therapy. He shares that what might work for one person doesn't necessarily mean it will work for everyone, and the importance of trying new things until you find what's right for you.

How to Ask for Help

In this video, Priscilla and Brooke talk about the emotions surrounding asking for help. Reaching out to a caregiver, friend, or mental health professional are all helpful tools. Priscilla and Brooke discuss the tools that they have used when asking for help.

Anxiety

Angelique talks about different anxiety conditions, how they can affect your life, and the many ways to manage and treat anxiety.

Advocacy

Juan introduces us to advocacy and why it is important to speak up. He shares how his own identity, culture, and background put him on the path towards becoming an advocate. In this video, Juan talks about how to get started and shares the message that everyone has the potential to become an impactful advocate.

Depression

Katie talks about what depression can look like, and how to cope and treat it.

Bullying

Reginald, Katie, and Carmen share their experiences being bullied, and demonstrate how they were able to take control over their situations to advocate for their mental health. In this video, the three presenters describe how they were able to develop confidence and coping skills which allowed access to the support they needed.

Descripción de la autolesión

Richelle nos cuenta qué es la autolesión, por qué podrían apelar a esta habilidad de superación negativa y las maneras de tratarla.

LGBTQI+

Salir del clóset puede ser algo difícil y atemorizante. Las dudas de si habrá apoyo disponible y las maneras de acceder a este podrían ser incluso más abrumadoras. En este video, tres presentadores que se identifican como LGBTQI+ abordan sus propias experiencias al aceptar su sexualidad y cómo pudieron obtener ayuda para su salud mental, sin dejar de priorizar sus identidades.

Habilidades de superación positivas

Britt nos cuenta qué son las habilidades de superación positivas y cómo desarrollar una caja de herramientas de salud mental para que no apelemos a estrategias de superación negativas. Britt también habla sobre las habilidades específicas que la ayudan a superar las situaciones.

TEPT/Trauma

En este video, Carmen habla sobre su experiencia al sufrir bullying y sobre cómo superar el trastorno de estrés postraumático (TEPT). Explica los síntomas comunes del trauma y cómo se pueden reconocer. Carmen también detalla los pasos útiles que se deben tomar para brindar ayuda a cualquier persona que esté atravesando un trauma.

Opciones de tratamiento

Ryder habla sobre las diferentes opciones de tratamiento para la salud mental, como los medicamentos, la terapia personal y la terapia grupal. Cuenta que lo que podría funcionar para una persona no necesariamente funcionará para todos, y sobre la importancia de intentar cosas nuevas hasta que descubras lo que es correcto para ti.

Cómo pedir ayuda

En este video, Priscilla y Brooke hablan sobre las emociones que se requieren para pedir ayuda. Ponerse en contacto con un cuidador, un amigo o un profesional de la salud mental son herramientas útiles. También analizan las herramientas a las que ellas apelaron al pedir ayuda.

Ansiedad

Angelique habla sobre los diferentes trastornos de ansiedad, cómo pueden afectar tu vida y las diferentes formas de manejar y tratar la ansiedad.

Defensa

Juan nos presenta el concepto de defensa y los motivos por los que es importante hablar. Comparte cómo su propia identidad, su cultura y su entorno lo pusieron en el camino para convertirse en un defensor. En este video, Juan habla sobre cómo empezar y comparte el mensaje de que todos tengan el potencial de convertirse en un defensor capaz de marcar la diferencia.

Depresión

Katie cuenta cómo puede verse la depresión y cómo lidiar con ella y tratarla.

Bullying

Reginald, Katie y Carmen comparten sus experiencias como víctimas de bullying y muestra cómo pudieron tomar el control de la situación para defender su salud mental. En este video, los tres presentadores describen cómo pudieron desarrollar su confianza y sus habilidades de superación, lo que les permitió acceder a la ayuda que necesitaban.

To help you and your audience

Awareness Events

A list of some select mental health awareness dates that you can incorporate into your classroom or meetings.

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Educators

By the Numbers

An infographic that shares mental health trends in youth during the pandemic in 2020.

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Educators

Supporting Students with Mental Health Concerns

Information about the signs and symptoms of a mental health condition and how you can best support students with different diagnoses.

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Educators

Check-In or Exit Ticket

Understand and respond to how your students are feeling after completing an assignment, exam, or at the end of the school day.

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Classroom

Commercial Breaks

A fun activity to help your students become familiar with mental health resources in school and in their community.

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Classroom

Student Journal

An activity that helps students be mindful of their day-to-day tasks, goals and achievements. Will help students set and achieve goals while building confidence and resilience.

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Classroom

1 in 6 Activity

A great way to help students visualize the number of youth that are affected by mental health conditions. Can be done on a small or large scale.

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Classroom

Celebrity Snapshot

A research activity where students choose a celebrity to research and report out on ways they've been affected by mental health while achieving success.

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Classroom