20. Men's Mental Health: Learning to Believe in Yourself with Andres Ruiz

In this episode of the Men Need Love Too podcast, Kat Anna sits down with Andres Ruiz, a 26-time published author, motivational speaker and mindset coach, to discuss men's mental health, self-belief and breaking the silence around emotions. Through Andres's personal experiences and his work with more than 100,000 young people, we explore how boys learn to hide their feelings, why vulnerability helps others open up, and practical ways parents can build emotional safety at home. Andres grew up being told that men don't cry, and he carried a lot of pain quietly for years before he found his way through it. He talks about that journey openly and generously, and about how sharing his story now helps young people feel less alone and reach out for help. Andres reminds us that our vulnerability is what gives others permission to open up, and he shares simple ways parents can build that safety at home, from 20 minutes of real attention a day to saying I'm sorry. He also guides a beautiful self-forgiveness practice you can come back to any time. Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 01:31 Meet Andres Ruiz 03:50 Growing up and family culture 05:05 "Man up" and learning not to cry 07:10 Carrying it alone as a teenager 11:57 His parents' divorce and losing his way 15:12 When kids raise their hands and say "that's me" 17:42 Instant gratification and starting small 22:17 Kids in juvenile detention 30:00 The big dream: reaching a million people 37:24 Parenting advice: be the example 40:48 20 minutes a day and saying I'm sorry 47:19 A live self-forgiveness practice 53:29 Inner child work and forgiving your parents 59:20 Why men need other men 1:01:38 Where to find Andres CONNECT WITH ANDRES Andres Ruiz is a 26-time published author, with 11 Amazon best-selling books, motivational speaker, and mindset coach dedicated to helping individuals unlock their full potential. As the founder of I Believe in Myself Leadership Coaching and Speaking LLC, he empowers entrepreneurs, professionals, and students to overcome self-doubt, build confidence, and take action toward their goals. Andres’s journey wasn’t always this way. He battled depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and years of feeling “not good enough.” After hitting a turning point in his life, he committed to personal growth, transforming his mindset, habits, and purpose. Today, he has spoken to over 100,000 youth, helped over 100 entrepreneurs become published authors, and continues to impact lives through coaching, speaking, and his books, proving that no matter where you start, you can reinvent yourself and create a life of purpose. Website: https://www.andresruiz.site Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1J7NiG7mEB/ CONNECT WITH MEN NEED LOVE TOO Website: https://www.menneedlovetoo.org Kings Academy: https://menneedlovetoo.org/kings-academy/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Bh9FgzbxR/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/men.need.love.too?igsh=MTR2dXNieDE3ZngyNw== Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MenNeedLoveTooPodcast LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kat-anna-1a7bb0358 TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@menneedlovetoo.org?\_r=1&\_t=ZS-97LearC7OJb TAKE ACTION Sign the petition to include men in global domestic violence data: https://www.change.org/includemenglobaldvdata If this conversation resonated with you, subscribe, leave a review, share this episode and help more men discover these conversations. #MenNeedLoveToo #MensMentalHealth #SelfForgiveness