Contact: Kathy Marshack, Ph.D, P.S.
or Michelle Lathim, Office Coordinator
Email – info@kmarshack.com
Phone – 360-256-0448 or 503-222-6678



Portland, OR October 9 – The economic downturn is taking a physical and emotional toll on Americans, according to data from the American Psychological Association’s newly released 2008 Stress in America survey. This confirms what local psychologist, Kathy Marshack, Ph.D, P.S., has already noticed in her private practice based in Portland, Oregon and Vancouver, Washington.

The survey revealed that almost half of Americans say that they’re increasingly stressed about their ability to provide for their family’s basic needs. Apparently it is women who are bearing the brunt of all this financial insecurity. Compared with men, more women reported stress about money, the economy, job stability, housing costs and health problems affecting their families.

All this stress is creating health problems. In June 2008, more people reported physical and emotional symptoms due to stress than they did in 2007. Health consequences of stress are most severe when people either ignore the symptoms or fail to manage their stress in a healthy way.

Dr. Kathy Marshack, a psychologist and family therapist with over thirty years of experience, recommends that people increase their awareness of the emotional and physical symptoms of stress. Here are symptoms that you should look for:

• Fatigue
• Feelings of irritability or anger
• Sleeplessness
• Lack of interest or motivation
• Feeling depressed or sad
• Headaches and muscular tension

Dr. Marshack counsels a shift in how you view problems, including the current economic crisis. She says, “If you recognize that life is a complex and problem-filled arena designed to assist you on your quest toward wisdom, then when you have a problem you'll face it squarely with full self-acceptance. You'll dig in, assess, diagnose and search out the meaning. You will use all the strengths at your disposal to create workable solutions. At the end you'll be a little smarter, a little wiser, a little stronger, and a little saner.”

Dr. Marshack advises that those who feel overwhelmed by stress should seek help from a mental health professional. More information on the survey is available at www.apahelpcenter.org. Dr. Kathy Marshack’s tips for managing stress are available at www.kmarshack.com.