Plus: Fall foliage train rides + Hurricane Helene relief
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October 02, 2024
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Begin your day informed

🧩 9 ACROSS Swelling ([link removed]) | ☁️ 62° A cloudy week ([link removed]) | ☝️ A tribute to Mutombo ([link removed])
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Diamond Naga Siu
Starting Point writer
X: @diamondnagasiu ([link removed])

Welcome to a gloomy Wednesday. We’re looking at Mexico’s first female president ([link removed]) , the dockworkers' strike ([link removed]) , and road-trip worthy meals ([link removed]) .

But first, I’m handing Today’s Starting Point to my colleague Dana Gerber ([link removed]) , author of the Globe’s No Stupid Questions series who’s going to walk you through how to find a therapist.

We have a special deal for Starting Pointers: 6 months of Globe.com for just $1 ([link removed]) .
TODAY'S STARTING POINT
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ALLY RZESA/GLOBE STAFF

I’m Dana, a producer and reporter for the Globe’s business desk. Between escalating international conflicts ([link removed]) , the mounting risks of climate change ([link removed]) , and and impending — and rancorous — election ([link removed]) , the world has been pretty stressful lately. It’s enough to make anyone decide that they need some help.

So it’s no wonder that a growing share of young adults — those who will have to deal with the consequences of these criss-crossing crises — are seeking professional guidance. In 2023, nearly one-fifth of 18- to 34-year-olds had received counseling from a mental health professional in the previous 12 months, the highest share of any age group and up from just 12 percent in 2019, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ([link removed]) .

But between scheduling logistics, insurance coverage, and plain-old compatibility, actually finding a suitable therapist can require a herculean effort (no matter how seamless “Good Will Hunting” made the process seem). So for the latest installment of No Stupid Questions, my recurring Globe series on navigating adult life in Boston, I did a deep-dive into how folks can navigate this process ([link removed]) in Massachusetts.

Take, for example, the initial search process. You can turn to your insurance provider, use a referral service, or take the more choose-your-own-adventure route and search directly through databases like those run by Zencare ([link removed]) , TherapyDen ([link removed]) , or Psychology Today ([link removed]) .

However you begin your search, you’ll soon discover that there is no one kind of therapy, but rather a range of approaches that therapists use. Cognitive behavioral therapy, for instance, is designed to reframe unhelpful thinking patterns and behaviors, while expressive therapies turn to art, music, and other creative pursuits to guide the process.

But what Eliza T. Williamson, executive director of NAMI Massachusetts ([link removed]) , a mental health nonprofit, drove home to me was that the methods a therapist uses aren’t nearly as important as the vibes you get from the therapist. To make sure it’s a good fit, you can set up initial “getting-to-know-you” consultations with a handful of providers before committing to one.

“What is most important in a therapeutic relationship is actually the relationship, and finding someone that you connect with, that you like, [and] that is approaching the process in a way that works for you,” Williamson said.

To take a step back: I started the No Stupid Questions series for the same reason a lot of folks go to therapy: It’s really hard to ask for help, and it should be easier to find it. So if you like the therapist-finding guide, you can find the other stories in the series here ([link removed]) , and email me ([email protected] (mailto:[email protected]?subject=Starting%20Point%3A%20No%20Stupid%20Questions) ) if you have any not-stupid questions you’d like to see answered in future pieces.

– Dana Gerber
POINTS OF INTEREST
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Dockworkers on strike outside Conley Terminal in South Boston on Tuesday morning. DAVID L. RYAN/GLOBE STAFF

ISRAEL How Israel responds to the missile attack launched by Iran yesterday will determine just how explosive this Middle East conflict becomes. Will it strike at Iran’s nuclear capability ([link removed]) ? (CNN)

THE SOUTH Nonprofits and other groups are helping people harmed by Hurricane Helene. This list of resources describes what they’re each doing ([link removed]) . (The Cut)

THE UPPER PIONEER VALLEY, Mass. The $26,000 gold statue has been found! (It's actually worth $26,626.35 as of today.) The New Hampshire video game designer who hid the statue ([link removed]) on a forest floor somewhere in the Northeast revealed this morning that someone located the small statue last evening ([link removed]) . (Project Skydrop)

VERMONT These fall train rides will carry you past some of the state’s most colorful foliage. You’ll also get views of quintessential New England towns and historic places ([link removed]) . (Burlington Free Press)

PORT OF BOSTON As the longshoremen’s strike enters its second day, closing ports from Maine to Texas, the Globe’s Hiawatha Bray says the Boston shutdown could lead to product shortages and higher prices. It will also affect the broader economy ([link removed]) . (The Boston Globe)

MEXICO Claudia Sheinbaum was sworn in yesterday as the country’s first female president. She’s a scientist, the former mayor of Mexico City, and a life-long leftist — but she doesn’t have former president López Obrador’s backslapping personal touch ([link removed]) . (Associated Press)

NEW ENGLAND From Portland, Maine to Pawtucket, R.I., these meals are worth a road trip. The stops include a diner featuring a pancake sampler and a tropical drink time capsule ([link removed]) . (Eater Boston)

CONNECTICUT Florida is ending outreach to gay tourists, while Connecticut is investing $100,000 on ads to attract them. The Nutmeg State is also hoping to appeal to Floridians looking to relocate to a more welcoming state ([link removed]) . (The Boston Globe)

ON THE T A Green Line trolley derailed near Lechmere Station during the evening commute yesterday after the wheels went off the track. Dozens were evacuated and six were injured ([link removed]) . (The Boston Globe)
ELECTION INSIGHTS | 33 days until the presidential election

How did Tim Walz and JD Vance do during the VP debate last night? Here’s what eight Globe opinion columnists and editorial writers thought ([link removed]) about each candidate's performance.

Democrat Tim Walz, governor of Minnesota

Shira Schoenberg ([link removed]) : “Walz promoted Congress’ bipartisan immigration bill and … touted plans to build more housing, lower prescription drug costs, and cut middle-class taxes.”

Jeff Jacoby ([link removed]) : “Walz repeatedly reminded viewers of Trump’s failures: The $8 trillion added to the national debt on his watch. His obsession with the size of his crowds. The parade of former aides who pronounce him unfit for the presidency.”

Renée Graham ([link removed]) : “At least Walz came across as genuine, especially when talking about reproductive rights, a cornerstone of Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign.”

Carine Hajjar ([link removed]) : “Walz has his folksy charm, but Democrats shouldn’t lean too heavily on the argument that Trump is an agent of chaos — even if he is — because many Americans still liked his policies.”

Kimberly Atkins Stohr ([link removed]) : “Walz got his bearings by the time the debate turned to the issue of reproductive rights, highlighting the deadly horrors that have resulted from overturning Roe v. Wade, and fact-checking Donald Trump’s lies about sending the issue back to the states. His answer on the need for sensible gun laws to protect kids in schools was his best answer of the night.”

David Shribman ([link removed]) : “Walz had twin goals: Parry the thrusts he expected (and received) on Harris’s record on immigration; he was ready for that. The second was to take the Biden-Harris policies into the future.”

Joan Vennochi ([link removed]) : “In the end, it wasn’t Vance’s skills as a debater that forced Walz into an uncomfortable corner. It was a question from the moderators about whether Walz was in Hong Kong during the deadly Tiananmen Square protests in June 1989, as he had claimed in the past.”

Scot Lehigh ([link removed]) : “After a nervous opening, Tim Walz turned in a strong performance. But he himself didn’t beat JD Vance. Donald Trump’s positions and record took care of that.”

Republican JD Vance, US senator from Ohio

Carine Hajjar ([link removed]) : “Vance still rose to the occasion on an issue that plagues his party, calling for his party to adopt policies that are truly ‘pro-family,’ like fertility treatments and affordability.”

Jeff Jacoby ([link removed]) : “JD Vance had it all over Tim Walz on optics and smoothness in Tuesday’s debate. But who expected anything different?”

David Shribman ([link removed]) : “Vance had two goals: The first was to tie Walz to Harris, and in turn to tie Harris to Joe Biden. The second was to soften his otherwise combative image. For the most part, mission accomplished. For the most part, minimal impact.”

Joan Vennochi ([link removed]) : “In the end, the winner was Vance. He didn’t look weird and he avoided Trump-like meanness. And he’s better at lying about his record, and Trump’s, than Walz is when it comes to exaggerating about himself.”

Shira Schoenberg ([link removed]) : “Vance touted Trump’s tax cuts — which helped the wealthy — and accused Harris of driving up inflation.”

Scot Lehigh ([link removed]) : “Trapped by Trump’s do-nothing denialism, Vance repeated Trump’s tired and silly dodges on … climate change, the Iran nuclear deal, abortion, and gun violence.”

Renée Graham ([link removed]) : “Vance can’t evade his own smarminess or his shifting opinions on Trump, a man he once compared to Adolf Hitler but now upholds as the savior of America and the world.”

Kimberly Atkins Stohr ([link removed]) : “Vance was the smoother talker of the two, but that doesn’t matter when he’s largely either lying… or sane-washing Trump.”
ARMCHAIR READS | Long reads to curl up with

This Is Life in America’s Water-Inequality Capital. It Might Be About to Change ([link removed]) (Time magazine)

Brown, sandy, and dry images of Navajo Nation contrast starkly with the green, lush, and wet images of Utah’s Washington County.

They’re just 80 miles from each other. But when it comes to water — despite basically sharing the same water source — Navajo Nation and Washington County are extreme opposites.

Diné, what Navajo people call themselves, use the least amount of water per person of anyone in the US. Yet they pay the most for water. Meanwhile, Washington County residents consume the most amount of water (until recently), while paying less for it than almost anyone else in the country.

Elliot Ross is a fellow with the Center for Contemporary Documentation, and he reported and photographed this striking story for Time magazine.

He highlighted the intergenerational impact of the disparity on Diné families and juxtaposed their water access through thought-provoking images and stories. Read this if you want to better understand what a privilege it is to have access to water ([link removed]) .
POLAROID DIARIES
Where we share our adventures around New England and rate them for Starting Point readers.
Rating: Bagged (💰) | Tagged (🏷️) | Dragged (❌)
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Puritan & Company ([link removed]) | Cambridge

Sunday brunch at this Inman Square spot is a delight. The pastry basket (pictured: kouign amann, passionfruit brioche, seasonal lemon fenugreek tea cake + guava and cheese brioche) is an impressive way to start your meal — they’re baked by the chef from nearby Cafe Beatrice. But save room for your main, because the dishes are fresh, flavorful, and are a fun way to stave off Sunday scaries.

Rating: Bagged 9/10 (💰)

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Carmelina's ([link removed]) | North End


This is quite a basic choice in this Italian neighborhood, but it’s so well-known for a reason. Every dish is a melody of flavors: the crazy alfredo (my usual), the puttanesca (even though I don’t like olives), the tonno siciliano, and most recently the rollati (pictured). They don’t have dessert, and even encourage patrons to try other places in the area. So I always go across the street to Caffé Vittoria for an affogato afterwards.

Rating: Bagged 9.5/10 (💰)

HEADLINES IN THE CLOUDS
Guess the headline from three choices based on words that appear in the story.
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Thanks for reading Starting Point. I'll be back on Friday ✨ – Diamond Naga Siu

This email was written by Diamond Naga Siu ([link removed]) + Dana Gerber ([link removed]) and edited by Teresa Hanafin ([link removed]) .

Have a question for the team? Email us at [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]?subject=Question%2Fsuggestion) .

Did someone forward you this newsletter? Sign up for your own copy ([link removed]) . Delivered Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.

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