FIU and Inter Miami CF talk mental health over cafecito

On the field, Inter Miami CF players David Ruiz and Alex Shaw are used to cameras following their every touch, every sprint, every move. As members of one of the highest-profile soccer teams in the US, that kind of attention comes with the job. But at FIU, the spotlight shifted to something they don't often get to talk about publicly: mental health.

That conversation was the heart of Conversations with Cafecito, presented by Café Bustelo. Now in its third year, the campus-wide initiative aimed to break stigma and open real dialogue around mental health.

Hosted in partnership with FIU's Center for Children and Families, CasaCuba and the Center for Fraternity & Sorority Enrichment, the event brought students, clinicians and professional athletes together to kickoff Mental Health Awareness Month.

Ruiz, a homegrown Inter Miami CF player who joined the club in 2021 through the Academy’s U‑17 team, and Shaw, a midfielder recently promoted to the first team, were joined on the panel by Jeremy Pettit, a psychologist and executive director of FIU's Center for Children and Families. Kristin A. Nichols, director of FIU's Professional Counseling Psychology master's program, moderated the discussion.

Together, they spoke candidly about the mental demands of elite athletics: performance pressure, the weight of setbacks, navigating social media and the expectations of competing at the highest level. For many students in the room, the parallels to their own lives were hard to miss.

"What we're building here reflects a shared commitment to create spaces where we can have honest conversations and break the stigma around mental health," Nichols said. "This discussion is about what we don't always see behind the game: the mental preparation, the pressure and the resilience it takes to perform at the highest level. But more importantly, these experiences connect all of us."

Ruiz encouraged students to rethink what it means to ask for help.

"It doesn't rain all season. The sun always comes out," he said. "A lot of people think asking for help is a weakness, but it's not. It takes courage. You don't have to go through tough moments alone. Lean on your family, your friends, the people who care about you."

For Shaw, the chance to connect with students felt just as meaningful as anything he does on the field.

"You don't have to be a professional athlete to feel pressure," he said. "Having the mental clarity to go after your goals and be the best version of yourself is something everyone can relate to."

Students asked questions, shared their own perspectives, and explored practical strategies for managing stress and building resilience. For many, it wasn’t the kind of conversation they expected to have with professional athletes.

"I didn't realize how similar our struggles are, even though they're professional athletes," said Camila Lara, an FIU graduate student in global strategic communications. "As a Hispanic student, there can be stigma around therapy, but I see it differently. I'm glad FIU creates spaces like this, and I've learned it's okay to seek help when you need it."

That reaction underscores how needed the conversation is. Nationally, nearly 40% of college students report experiencing moderate to severe depressive symptoms; anxiety, loneliness and chronic stress continue to weigh on student well-being across the country.

"Conversations like this help normalize mental health challenges and remind students they're not alone," Pettit said. "When influential voices share their experiences, it can reduce stigma and encourage people to seek support."

The event wrapped up with a player meet-and-greet, with Café Bustelo serving cafecito throughout, a fitting close for a conversation focused on connection and community.

As the mental health conversations between FIU, Inter Miami CF and Café Bustelo continue, so does the message it carries: asking for help isn't a sign of weakness. It never was.