Inter Miami CF midfielder Julian Gressel participated in a Mental Health in the Sporting Industry panel at Florida International University, alongside Dr. Jeremy Pettit and Dr. Kristin A. Nichols from FIU’s School of Psychology, in observance of Mental Health Awareness Month. This session - dubbed Conversations with Cafecito, sponsored by Cafe Bustelo - focused on sports psychology for FIU students.
Gressel shares his valuable insights on the importance of mental health awareness for both professional athletes and the broader community. “Mental health awareness is an important topic and I’m happy to see it growing in prominence, both in sports and in life.” said Gressel. “The more we talk about it, the more we defeat the stigma associated with seeking help, so I’m happy to do my part and to be open about my experiences.”
Dr. Jeremy Pettit specializes in research on depression, anxiety and suicidal behaviors in childhood and adolescence. His research also focuses on the development and evaluation of interventions for these behaviors. Dr. Pettit is the author of four books, including a guide to help teens overcome suicidal thoughts, and more than 175 research articles and book chapters. His research program is funded by the National Institute of Mental Health.
Dr. Kristin A. Nichols is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor in the State of Florida and serves as the Associate Chair of Graduate Studies in the Psychology department and Director of the Professional Counseling Psychology Master's Program at FIU. Dr. Nichols research area and clinical interests are in the areas of the evidenced-based clinical interventions, along with risk and protective factors for internalizing disorders in children and adolescents. Dr. Nichols has over 20 years of experience in research and evaluation in the areas of K-12 and postsecondary education and developmental, counseling, and clinical psychology.
