Greater Boston | December 12, 2023 | Season 2023 | Episode 147

>> HI, EVERYBODY.

I'’M CRYSTAL HAYNES.

ON GREATER BOSTON HARVARD IS SUPPORTING CLAUDINE GAY AFTER HER TESTIMONY.

WHAT THE CONSEQUENCES WILL BE.

A BREAKTHROUGH TREATMENT FOR SICKLE CELL DISEASE IN MASSACHUSETTS.

WHY THIS COULD CHANGE THE WAY WE LOOK AT THE BLOOD DISORDER.

THEN A LOOK AT THE WASHINGTON POST, IMPROVING YOUR LIFE WITH THE HOST BEHIND IT.

HARVARD PRESIDENT CLAUDINE GAY WILL KEEP HER JOB IS THE DECISION THAT CAME FROM THE HARVARD CORPORATION GOVERNING BOARD.

THEY MET TO DECIDE HER FATE AFTER HER COMMENTS DURING A HEARING ABOUT ANTI-SEMITISM.

IN A STATEMENT THE CORPORATION SAYS WE REAFFIRM SUPPORT FOR PRESIDENT GAZE CONTINUED LEADERSHIP.

IT FOR GENOCIDE ARE DESPICABLE AND CONTRARY TO HUMAN VALUES.

PRESIDENT GAY APOLOGIZE FOR HOW SHE HANDLED HER TESTIMONY AND HAS COMMITTED TO REDOUBLING THE UNIVERSITIES RIGHT AGAINST ANTI-SEMITISM.

MANY ARE FURIOUS THREATENING TO PULL MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN DONATIONS SO HOW WILL THIS DECISION AFFECT THE UNIVERSITY AND OTHERS?

I'’M JOINED BY NEWS EDITOR FOR HIGHER EDUCATION, KIRK.

A BUSY DAY.

>> IT WAS.

CRYSTAL: WAS THIS DECISION PROTECTABLE?

>> A LOT OF PEOPLE THOUGHT THE CORPORATION WOULD STAND WITH THE PRESIDENT AND REAFFIRM CONFIDENCE AS THEY SAID IN THIS TUMULTUOUS MOMENT.

THEY SAID SHE'’S THE RIGHT PERSON FOR THE JOB AT THIS TIME.

THEY ACKNOWLEDGED SHE MADE MISTAKES INCLUDING HER INITIAL REACTION TO HE OCTOBER 7 HAMAS ATTACKS AGAINST ISRAEL AND ELUSIVE ANSWERS BEFORE CONGRESS WHEN SHE WAS ASKED HYPOTHETICAL QUESTIONS ABOUT THE GENOCIDE OF JEWISH PEOPLE.

SHE APOLOGIZED AND THIS MORNING THE CORPORATION ANNOUNCED IT WILL REJECT ANY CALLS FOR HER REMOVAL.

SOME PEOPLE I TALKED TO WERE HOPING THAT THERE WOULD BE CHANGE.

THAT IN THIS MOMENT HARVARD AND OTHER COLLEGES NEEDED SOMEONE TO BE MORE DIRECT AND FORTHRIGHT THE FIRST TIME AND WE COULD NOT KEEP HAVING BACK-AND-FORTH BACK LASH TO THE BACKLASH MOMENTS.

CRYSTAL: YOU PENS PRESIDENT STEPPED DOWN AFTER ALL OF THIS.

>> RIGHT AND SHE WAS FACING EXISTING CHALLENGES.

THERE WAS A DONUT REVOLT AS WELL.

YOU HAD VOICES CALLING FOR HER RESIGNATION INCLUDING THE BOARD OF ADVISORS OF THE BUSINESS SCHOOL.

HER VIDEO MESSAGE, SHE APOLOGIZED AFTER THE FACT I THINK IT WOULD LIKE SHE LOOKED LIKE SHE WAS READING FROM A TELEPROMPTER AND IT WAS NOT COMING FROM THE HEART.

THAT IS THE TAKE AWAY THIS SEMESTER IS THAT WHETHER IT IS THE HEARING OR INITIAL COMMENTS AND STATEMENTS, IN THIS MOMENT PEOPLE WANT MORAL CLARITY AND LEADERS TO BE DIRECT AND TO THE POINT.

WE DID NOT HEAR THAT THIS SEMESTER.

CRYSTAL: RIGHT AFTER THE TESTIMONY WE TALKED ABOUT HOW SCHOOLS ARE STRUGGLING WITH WHAT TO DO IN THIS MOMENT.

>> I TALKED TO COLLEGE LEADERS AND SOME WERE DEVASTATED.

MANY SEE WHAT HAPPENED ON CAPITAL WE -- CAPITOL HILL AS A FARCE.

I SPOKE WITH LYNN, THE FORMER PRESIDENT OF MOUNT HOLYOKE COLLEGE.

SHE'’S THE HEAD OF THE ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES SHE SAID IT MADE THE THEATER BUT WE NEED TO PAY SERIOUS ATTENTION TO IT BECAUSE THIS MOMENT IS BEING USED, HARVARD LEADERS THINK IT IS BEING USED TO ATTACK HIGHER EDUCATION AND DISMANTLE IT.

IF YOU WATCH THE FULL FIVE HOURS THEY WERE NOT JUST TALKING ABOUT ANTI-SEMITISM, AND A LOT OF OTHER THINGS CAME UP.

DE I EFFORTS AND BEFORE THE CORPORATION MADE ITS DECISION MORE THAN 700 FACULTY MEMBERS SIGNED A PETITION CALLING ON THE CORPORATION TO RESIST CALLS TO OUST THE PRESIDENT.

I SPOKE WITH ONE PROFESSOR THIS MORNING AND SHE SAID SHE WAS DELIGHTED THE CORPORATION STOOD FIRM AND THE UNIVERSITY IS AUTONOMOUS.

CRYSTAL: WHAT ROLE DO YOU THINK -- SHE IS BRAND-NEW IN THIS ROLE AND A HISTORIC FIGURE AT HARVARD.

DO YOU THINK THOSE FACTORS PLAYED INTO HER FAVOR?

>> IN HER FAVOR AND AGAINST HER.

THE VITRIOL AND CLAIMS ARE OUTLANDISH BUT CONTEXT DOES MATTER.

SHE TOOK OVER IN JULY RIGHT AFTER THE SUPREME COURT RULED AGAINST RACE CONSCIOUS ADMISSIONS AT HARVARD.

SHE'’S THE SECOND WOMAN TO LEAVE THE UNIVERSITY, DAUGHTER OF IMMIGRANTS, FIRST BLACK PERSON TO LEAD HARVARD AND SHE TOOK OVER AT A TUMULT WAS TIME.

IT'’S BEEN A LONG SEMESTER AND SHE IS LEARNING BY FIRE.

I DON'’T THINK ANY FORMER PRESIDENTS FACED A CONTROVERSY LIKE THIS, BUT HER BASE AND GENDER AND WATCHING THAT HEARING WE HAD THREE WOMEN SPEAKING, IT WAS A MOMENT.

THEY ARE UNDERREPRESENTED BUT WE HAD THREE WOMEN.

THE ISSUE IS THAT THEY WERE NEW TO THE ROLE SO THEY WERE LISTENING TO ADVISORS AND PR PROFESSIONALS AND LAWYERS.

THAT'’S WHETHER ANSWERS SOUNDED ELUSIVE AND ONE OBSERVER TOLD ME IF LARRY HAD BEEN UP THERE, THE SON OF HOLOCAUST SURVIVORS, HE WAS AT TUFTS THAN THE CORPORATION, THEN THE PRESIDENT OF HARVARD.

HIS ANSWER MIGHT HAVE BEEN DIFFERENT BUT HE MIGHT'’VE COME OUT AND UNEQUIVOCALLY SAID YES, CALLING FOR THE GENOCIDE OF ANY PEOPLE VIOLATES OUR CODE OF CONDUCT AND THIS ISSUE WOULD HAVE NOT GONE AWAY BUT THE FIRE WOULD HAVE BEEN TAMPERED.

CRYSTAL: ONE OF THE THING OTHERS HAVE WRITTEN ABOUT, FOLKS WERE TALKING ABOUT IT.

IF YOU LET DONORS CALL THE SHOTS.

IN THIS CASE, YOU PEN $100 MILLION WAS MENTIONED AT STAKE THERE.

MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF FUNDING FROM DONORS AT HARVARD, YOU START LETTING THE DONORS CALL THE SHOTS AND IT BECOMES A DANGEROUS SITUATION >> IT DOES BUT AT THE SAME TIME YOU NEED TO KEEP THE LIGHTS ON.

YOU NEED A POETRY AND PHILOSOPHY DEPARTMENT.

I DON'’T THINK IT IS BRINGING INTUITION DOLLARS SO SCHOOLS RELY ON DONORS, BUT IT BECOMES TRICKY WHEN THEY ARE TRYING TO DEFEND FARIES EACH AND ALSO LEAVE SPACE SAFE ENOUGH -- PEOPLE HE SAID HIGHER EDUCATION SHOULD MAKE YOU UNCOMFORTABLE.

BUT MONEY TALKS AND THINK WE SAW IT AT PENN.

FOR NOW M.I.T.

AND HARVARD HAVE RESISTED THIS.

DR. BLUETOOTH AT M.I.T.

GOT THE BACKING OF THE GOVERNING BOARD.

HARVARD HAS ENOUGH MONEY, THEY CAN TURN DOWN SOME DONORS.

WITH THE ENDOWMENT THEY ARE DOING OK SECOND ONLY TO THE VATICAN BUT MOST SCHOOLS YOUR AVERAGE COLLEGE COULD NOT WITHSTAND THIS PRESSURE.

CRYSTAL: I'’M THOUGHTFUL OF DOES THIS THEN SEND A MESSAGE LOUD AND CLEAR TO OTHER UNIVERSITY PRESIDENTS WHERE THEY MIGHT BE THINKING GETTING WITH PR TEAMS LIKE MAYBE WE NEED TO COME OUT WITH A CLEAR STATEMENT?

>> A CLEAR STATEMENT FOR THE IDEA THAT SCHOOLS DON'’T NEED TO FEEL OBLIGATED TO COMMENT ON EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENS.

GRANTED THIS IS A LARGE INTERNATIONAL ISSUE AND TESTS ARE POPPING UP ON THEIR CAMPUSES.

THEY ARE FORCED TO TALK.

BUT I TALKED TO SOME PROFESSIONALS WHO SAY ONLY TALK IF IT AFFECTS YOUR MISSION OR YOU FEEL COMPELLED.

THE IDEA OF ISSUING STATEMENTS NO MATTER WHAT THE STORY IS, WHETHER IT IS THE OCTOBER 7 ATTACK OR THE MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD ORB BLACK LIVES MATTER, ISSUING A BOILER POINT -- BOILER STATEMENT, YOU'’RE CRITICIZED FOR NOT BEING FAST ENOUGH IF YOU FEEL COMPELLED TO SPEAK GO FOR IT.

SPEAK YOUR MIND AND IF COLLEGE PRESIDENTS HAD DONE THAT THEY MIGHT NOT A FOUND THEMSELVES IN HOT WATER.

CRYSTAL: I'’VE HEARD OTHER PRESIDENTS, THEY SAID THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSITY SHOULD NOT MATTER.

IT'’S ABOUT THE CAMPUS AND THE PEOPLE IN THE FACULTY.

>> THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION SHOULD HAVE BEEN YES BUT THEY WERE SO LAWYERED UP AND STICKING TO TALKING POINTS.

WHEN THEY DID THAT THEY MIGHT HAVE BEEN ANSWERING THE RIGHT LEGAL QUESTION BUT THEY WERE NOT ACHING TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AT A TIME WHEN MANY ARE LOSING FAITH IN COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES.

SURVEYS SHOW THE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS THINK COLLEGES ARE HAVING A NEGATIVE EFFECT ON THE FUTURE OF THE COUNTRY AND THIS DID NOT HELP THAT SITUATION.

THIS MADE HIGHER EDUCATION LOOK OUT OF TOUCH AND I TALKED TO THE FORMER PRESIDENT OF MOUNT HOLYOKE AND SHE SAID THEY ARE SYMBOLS OF ELITISM, SPEAKING IN A WAY THAT PEOPLE DO NOT TALK TO EACH OTHER AND THEY CAME OFF SOUNDING LIKE THEY WERE IN THEIR IVORY TOWERS.

CRYSTAL: A LOT TO UNPACK.

CURVED, THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US.

IT IS A MAJOR BREAKTHROUGH IN SICKLE-CELL RESEARCH.

TWO NEW GENE-BASED RESEARCHES HAVE BEEN APPROVED BY THE FDA IN A LONG-AWAITED DECISION ON A TECHNOLOGY THAT ONE ITS INVENTORS A NOBEL PRIZE.

THE BLOOD DISORDER AFFECTS OVER 100,000 AMERICANS, MANY OF WHOM ARE BLACK.

FOR MANY OF THOSE PEOPLE THE PRICES FOR NEW TREATMENTS ARE JUST OUT OF REACH COSTING UP TO $3.1 MILLION.

EVEN THOUGH IT IS UNAFFORDABLE FOR NOW WE WANT TO ASK HOW WILL THIS CHANGE WILL WE KNOW ABOUT THE DISEASE.

I'’M JOINED BY THE MEDICAL DIRECTOR FOR MASS GENERALS COMPREHENSIVE SICKLE-CELL TREATMENT CENTER AND THE HOSPITALS ROBERT KRAFT ENDOWED CHAIR IN A DIVERSITY EQUITY AND INCLUSION.

ALONGSIDE IS A PATIENT AMBASSADOR FOR THE SICKLE-CELL ASSOCIATION WHOSE 12-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER HAS SICKLE-CELL DISEASE.

THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH ME.

>> HAPPY TO BE HERE.

CRYSTAL: DR., WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THIS BEFORE WE BEGIN RECORDING.

THIS IS NOT A CHORE WHICH I KNOW A LOT OF OUTLETS HAVE BEEN CALLING THIS, A POTENTIAL CURE.

>> THAT'’S RIGHT AND WE THINK ABOUT THIS AS A TRANSFORMATIVE THERAPY.

THE REASON FOR THE DISTINCTION IS WE WANT PARENT -- PATIENTS TO UNDERSTAND THAT AFTER THEY UNDERGO TREATMENT THEY WILL STILL NEED FOLLOW-UP WITH THEIR HEMATOLOGIST.

THEY WILL NEED ANNUAL KIDNEY AND EYE SCREENING AND WILL BE AT RISK OF COMPLICATIONS.

THE HOPE IS THEY WILL HAVE FEWER COMPLICATIONS.

CRYSTAL: WHAT DOES THIS TREATMENT DO?

>> IT WORKS TO TURN ON FETAL HEMOGLOBIN.

IF THE TYPE OF HEMOGLOBIN THAT WE ALL UTILIZED WHEN WE WERE FIRST BORN.

AT SIX MONTHS OF AGE OUR BODY TURNS ON ADULT HEMOGLOBIN AND TURNS OFF FETAL HEMOGLOBIN.

IN SICKLE-CELL THAT TURNS ON SICKLE HEMOGLOBIN.

THIS DOES NOT DO ANYTHING TO COMBAT THE SICKLE HEMOGLOBIN BUT HELPS THE BODY TURN THE SWITCH AND TURN ON FETAL HEMOGLOBIN ONCE AGAIN.

CRYSTAL: WE TALKED ABOUT THE PRICE OF TREATMENTS.

WHAT WAS YOUR THOUGHT WHEN YOU HEARD ABOUT THE NEW TREATMENT, THIS TRANSFORMATIVE TREATMENT, BUT ALSO THE COST, THE PRICE TAG IS ALWAYS THE ISSUE.

WHAT WENT THROUGH YOUR MIND?

>> EXCITING NEWS BECAUSE WE HAD BEEN WAITING FOR THIS FOR QUITE A WHILE BUT THINKING ABOUT THE COSTS FROM WHAT I HEAR IT'’S NOT THE EASIEST PROCEDURE EITHER TO GO THROUGH.

THE SIDE EFFECTS, IT'’S A LOT TO TAKE IN.

IT IS EXCITING TO HEAR THAT IT WAS FINALLY APPROVED BUT YOU KNOW, THE COST OF THE IS IN ISSUE AND ALL THE STUFF THAT COMES ALONG WITH IT, I HEARD IT IS A REALLY INTENSE THING TO GO THROUGH.

AND SO WE WERE TALKING ABOUT IT AND SHE IS A LITTLE WORRIED ABOUT IT.

SHE WANTS TO DO IT BUT PART OF HER IS HESITANT BECAUSE SHE WANTS TO MAKE SURE THIS CURES HER, WHICH WE ALREADY HEARD THAT IT DOES NOT MEAN YOU WILL BE CURED.

CRYSTAL: TALK TO ME ABOUT THE TREATMENT PROCESS.

>> IT IS LENGTHY.

THIS STILL REQUIRES A BONE MARROW TRANSPLANT BUT IT ALLOWS THEM TO UNDERGO AUTO TRANSPLANT MEANING THEY GET THEIR OWN STEM CELLS BACK THE PROCESS AND CLINICAL TRIALS TOOK SIX MONTHS OR LONGER.

PATIENTS COME IN, HAVE STEM CELLS TAKEN AND SENT TO THE LAB TO BE MODIFIED IN THE CELLS ARE RETURNED.

THEY UNDERGO CHEMOTHERAPY AND A BONE MARROW TRANSPLANT.

CRYSTAL: THAT IS A LENGTHY PROCESS AND CHEMOTHERAPY AND THE TRANSPLANT PROBABLY HAVE THEIR OWN RISKS.

>> ONE IMPORTANT CONCERN IS THE FACT THAT THE CHEMOTHERAPY WE USE MAKES PATIENTS IN FERTILE AND FERTILITY PRESENTATION -- PRESERVATION IS NOT COVERED FOR PATIENTS WITH SICKLE CELL DISEASE THE WAY IT IS COVERED FOR PATIENTS WITH CANCER.

CRYSTAL: ON THE ONE HAND YOU HAVE HOPE ON THE OTHER HAND THE TREATMENT IS SO INTENSE.

>> WE ARE VERY HOPEFUL IN ONE OF THE THINGS WE ARE MOST EXCITED ABOUT IS THAT THIS KICKED OPEN THE DOOR IN TERMS OF PLACING SOCIETY'’S ATTENTION ON A DISEASE THAT HAS BEEN IGNORED AND WE WILL FINE-TUNE THIS AND CREATE BETTER WAYS TO DO THIS IN THE COMING YEARS.

CRYSTAL: CARISSA, TALK ABOUT YOU AND YOUR DAUGHTER HAVING TO GO THROUGH THE PROCESS OUTSIDE OF THIS HOPE OF A TREATMENT WHERE GETTING BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS AND PAIN MANAGEMENT AND THINGS LIKE THAT?

CARISSA: SO JOE LISA GETS BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS EVERY THREE TO FOUR WEEKS SO WE ARE IN THE HOSPITAL ALL THE TIME.

IT'’S NOT EASY TO DO THIS EVERY THREE TO FOUR WEEKS BUT SHE GOES IN, THEY HAVE TO INSERT VERY LARGE NEEDLES INTO HER CHEST WHERE THEY BASICALLY TAKE OUT HER BLOOD AND EXCHANGE IT WITH ANOTHER PERSON'’S BLOOD.

AND THEN JUST BEING ON SO MANY DIFFERENT PAIN MEDICINES THAT SOMETIMES THE MEDICINES DON'’T WORK FOR HER.

SO WE HAVE TO TRY A DIFFERENT TYPE OF THING TO GET THROUGH THE PAIN.

IT'’S BEEN HARD, A LOT OF BACK-AND-FORTH.

IT HITS US EMOTIONALLY, MENTALLY, FINANCIALLY, HAVING TO STOP WORKING TO TAKE HER BACK AND FORTH TO THE HOSPITAL, HER STAYING IN THE HOSPITAL, IT'’S A LOT AND HAVE OTHER CHILDREN SO TAKES ALL MY TIME FROM THE OTHER KIDS.

THIS IS GREAT NEWS BUT ALSO SCARY.

CRYSTAL: IS THE TRADE-OFF OF NOT HAVING TO DO ALL THAT WORTH THE RISKS AND SIDE EFFECTS?

>> YEAH, WE WERE THINKING ABOUT IT.

WE'’VE BEEN REALLY DEEPLY TALKING ABOUT IT AND I GUESS YEAH, I MEAN, YOU KNOW, SHE'’S BEEN SCARED ABOUT THE WHOLE CHEMO AND ALSO SET I WANT TO HAVE KIDS IN THE FUTURE, AND MY GOING TO BE ABLE TO HAVE KIDS?

ME, I'’M NOT WORKING, I CANNOT AFFORD TO HAVE HER EGGS PUT AWAY FOR LATER ON.

I CANNOT DO THAT, I'’M NOT WORK IN, I'’M NOT WORKING.

SHE IS DISABLED AND I'’M ALWAYS IN THE HOSPITAL WITH HER.

IT IS A VERY TOUCHY SUBJECT AND AS MUCH AS IT SOUNDS LIKE A GREAT THING, IT IS ALSO -- MY CHILD HAS CHRONIC SICKLE-CELL SO WHATEVER IS ALREADY WRONG WITH HER THAT HAVE BEEN BECAUSE OF SICKLE-CELL, KIDNEYS, LIVER, SO ON, I DON'’T BELIEVE THERAPY WILL FIX THAT.

SO WE'’RE STILL GOING BACK TO THE HOSPITAL IF THERE IS A FEVER, IT'’S A LOT.

BUT IT IS STILL GREAT NEWS BECAUSE IT IS SOMETHING THAT IS SHOWING THAT SOMETHING IS BEING DONE.

CRYSTAL: DR., THIS IS ONE STEP.

DO WE THINK THIS COULD LEAD TO TREATMENTS THAT ARE EASIER TO MANAGE AND WILL NOT HAVE SEVERE SIDE EFFECTS?

>> ABSOLUTELY AND I THINK THE COMPANIES THAT HAVE DELIVERED THESE PRODUCTS ARE ALREADY WORKING ON THE NEXT ITERATION, THE FUTURE THERAPY.

THE DREAM WOULD BE JEAN THERAPY IN A PILL TO HAVE AN ORAL MEDICATION AND NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THE BONE MARROW TRANSIT PART.

I THINK THAT WILL COME IN THE NEXT FEW YEARS.

CRYSTAL: DO YOU THINK THE WILL IS THERE AND THE FUNDING?

>> I DO.

FROM A RESEARCH STANDPOINT THIS HAS DONE AMAZING THINGS BECAUSE IT ALLOWED MEDICAL RESEARCH TO RECOGNIZE WHAT AN IMPORTANT ENVIRONMENT SICKLE-CELL IS FOR DEVELOPMENT OF NEW TREATMENTS BUT LIKEWISE THE TREATMENT IS GOING TO LAY BARE THE SHORTCOMINGS THAT WE HAVE FACED AS A SOCIETY HELPING PATIENTS LIVE WITH DISEASE.

PATIENTS STRUGGLE TO GET TO AND FROM THE CLINIC, THEY STRUGGLE TO HAVE HOUSING AND SECURITY, CHILD CARE.

THE INTENSITY OF THIS INTERVENTION WILL LAY BARE HOW FEW RESOURCES WE HAVE TO MANAGE THOSE THINGS.

CRYSTAL: I'’M THOUGHTFUL OF WHAT CARISSA MENTIONED WITH THE OTHER DAMAGE THAT SICKLE-CELL HAS DONE TO THE PATIENT.

THIS MIGHT CURE -- HELP WITH THE SICKLE-CELL, BUT DO YOU STILL HAVE THESE OTHER ISSUES?

>> I TELL MY PATIENTS WHAT YOU WALK IN TO THE TRANSPLANT WITH YOU WILL WALK OUT WITH.

IF YOU HAVE KIDNEY DISEASE OR I DISEASE THIS TOUCHES EVERY ORGAN.

SO IF YOU'’VE ALREADY ACCUMULATED COMPLICATIONS GENE THERAPY WILL NOT MAKE THOSE GO AWAY.

THE HOPE IS THEY WILL REDUCE RISK OF FUTURE COMPLICATIONS AND REDUCE PAIN, BUT THEY WILL NOT UNDO DAMAGE.

CRYSTAL: WE WILL HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

>> THANK YOU.

CRYSTAL: NEXT, ARE YOU LOOKING FOR RELATIONSHIP ADVICE?

WHAT ABOUT TIPS FOR TROUBLE SLEEPING OR MAYBE YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE BEEN HOLDING SOMETHING BACK.

THANKS TO A PODCAST FROM THE WASHINGTON POST YOUR ANSWERS COULD BE AT YOUR FINGERTIPS.

THE PODCAST SETS OUT TO GIVE LISTENERS TIPS FOR EVERYDAY PROBLEMS AND I'’M JOINED BY JOURNALIST CHRISTINA QUINN, FRIEND OF THE SHOW, FORMER STAFFORDSHIRE, JOINING ME NOW.

AND A VERY FAMILIAR FACE.

TALK ABOUT THE PODCAST.

>> YOU SUMMED IT UP PERFECTLY.

THE IDEA IS THERE IS A LOT OF NOISE OUT THERE AND THERE IS JUST SO MUCH INFORMATION BEING THROWN AT US ALL THE TIME, WELLNESS STUFF AND HOW TO DO THIS AND THAT.

THE GOAL IS TO CUT THROUGH THE NOISE AND GET YOU RESEARCH FACT STUFF THAT CAN REALLY HELP PEOPLE SORT OF LIVE THEIR BEST SELVES BUT IN LITTLE EPISODES.

OUR EPISODES RANGE BETWEEN EIGHT AND 13 MINUTES LONG SO YOU CAN WALK AWAY FROM EACH CLASS WITH AN ACTUAL TOOLKIT LIKE OH, I CAN USE THESE TIPS, PUT THEM INTO ACTION RIGHT AWAY TONIGHT, TOMORROW OR WHENEVER.

AND IT FEELS LOW STAKES, LOW PRESSURE BUT YOU FEEL EMBOLDENED.

THAT IS THE GOAL.

AND WITH OUR SLEEP ONE, OUR SLEEP EXPERT LISA IS BASED IN BOSTON SO SHE IS AMAZING.

SHE WRITES A GREAT COLUMN FOR THE WASHINGTON POST ABOUT SLEEP HABITS AND STRIKES THE RIGHT TONE ABOUT CUTTING THROUGH THE NOISE AND GIVING YOU ADVICE.

SHE HAS BEEN A GREAT SOURCE FOR THE SHOW.

CRYSTAL: WHAT ARE THE NUMBER ONE QUESTIONS PEOPLE WANT ANSWERED?

>> PEOPLE HAVE TROUBLE FALLING ASLEEP, AT THE END OF A LONG DAY YOU GET TO BED AND YOU'’RE LIKE I'’VE GOT TO DO THIS AND THAT IN THE LIST KEEPS PILING UP.

OUR FIRST EPISODE RUNS INTO THAT AND LISA TALKS ABOUT PERFORMANCE ANXIETY.

PEOPLE HAVE PERFORMANCE ANXIETY ABOUT SLEEP.

THAT REGISTERED WITH ME BECAUSE I HAD ISSUES WITH SLEEP MY ENTIRE ADULT LIFE.

BEING PART OF THIS COURSE AND BUILDING THE COURSE AND ALSO EXPERIENCING AND TRYING OUT ALL THE THINGS SHE SUGGESTED HAS BEEN A GAME CHANGER SO I FILE I CAN ATTEST TO THAT ON A PERSONAL LEVEL.

FALLING ASLEEP, SHE TALKS ABOUT ANXIETY REDUCING TECHNIQUES.

SO MUCH OF TROUBLE SLEEPING HAS TO DO WITH MINIMIZING ANXIETY.

PERFORMANCE ANXIETY FOCUSES ON THAT AND SHE EMPHASIZES HOW SLEEP IS A BODILY FUNCTION WHICH IS SOMETHING I NEVER THOUGHT OF.

SLEEP IS A BODILY FUNCTION, YOU CAN TAKE THAT ANOTHER DIRECTION BUT IT'’S OUT OF OUR CONTROL SO WHEN YOU RELINQUISH THAT, IT'’S OUT OF MY CONTROL, YOU DON'’T HAVE TO BE YOURSELF UP OR STRESS.

IT'’S NOT GOING TO COME NOW BUT IT WILL COME AND IT TAKES THE PRESSURE OFF OF YOU WHICH IS WHAT WE WANT TO ACCOMPLISH WITH THIS COURSE.

OTHER QUESTIONS INCLUDE HOW DO I FALL ASLEEP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT WHICH IS A REAL PAIN.

YOU WAKE UP AT 2:30 LIKE WHAT DO I DO?

A LOT OF GREAT TECHNIQUES THAT SHE GETS INTO AND SHE SPELLS OUT WHY.

FOR EXAMPLE THIS IS -- THE LIMITATION OF THE HUMAN MIND IS WE CANNOT ENTERTAIN MORE THAN ONE NARRATIVE AT A TIME.

SO THE IDEA IS LET'’S TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT, OUR LIMITATION, AND DISTRACT OURSELVES WITH SOMETHING SOOTHING.

SO WE GET INTO SOOTHING DISTRACTIONS AND SORT OF HOW TO SET YOURSELF UP TO HELP YOURSELF OUT AT NIGHT AND OTHER TECHNIQUES.

CRYSTAL: YOU TRY THEM YOURSELF?

>> YES, YES.

I FEEL LIKES SIZE SPERLING HAIR CLUB FOR MEN.

I AM NOT ONLY THE HOST, I AM ALSO A CLIENT OF MY OWN WORK.

OF THE WORK WE DID ON THE SHOW.

IT HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL.

CRYSTAL: DO YOU FIND YOU HAVE ALL THESE TIPS YOU CAN GO TO HOLIDAY PARTIES AND SAY I HAVE ALL OF THESE TIPS?

>> I FEEL LIKE I AM WELL ECLIPSE -- WELL-EQUIPPED NOW AND I'’M NOT STRESSING ABOUT SLEEP.

IT'’S TRANSFORMED MY RELATION WITH SLEEP AND A COUPLE OF COLLEAGUES HAVE ALSO SHARED THE SENTIMENT.

I'’M NOT STRESSED OUT ABOUT SLEEP ANYMORE AND IT'’S BECAUSE OF THE COURSE ON TRY THIS.

SO THAT SPEAKS VOLUMES.

CRYSTAL: I CANNOT WAIT FOR ALL OF MY PROBLEMS TO BE SOLVED.

>> I'’M HERE TO HELP.

CRYSTAL: THANK YOU FOR BEING WITH US.

THAT IS IT FOR TONIGHT BUT COME BACK TOMORROW FOR A TOUR OF THE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH URGENT CARE SERVICES WING AT EAST BOSTON HEALTH CENTER AND A DISCUSSION ON WHAT THE CENTER AIMS TO BRING TO BOSTON.

PLUS A LOOK AT THE POTENTIAL OF OZEMPIC TO TREAT ALCOHOL USE DISORDERS.

THAT AND MORE AT 7:00 TOMORROW.

THANK YOU FOR WATCHING.

GOOD NIGHT.

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