39. Stress vs. Anxiety- Why You’re Using the Wrong Tools — and What Actually Works

Do you feel anxious even when nothing is wrong?Does your body feel tense, wired, or exhausted — but “relaxation” doesn’t help?Have you tried breathwork, meditation, movement, or nervous system tools… only to feel worse?You’re not broken.You’re just using stress tools for anxiety — and anxiety tools for stress.In this powerful, hour-long deep dive, Kate Garland, nervous system–informed coach and intuitive guide, explains the critical difference between stress, strain, and anxiety — a distinction almost no one is taught, and one that changes everything once you understand it.This episode is for women who are:• chronically stressed but can’t pinpoint why• high-functioning yet secretly overwhelmed• anxious without a clear trigger• burned out, but unable to truly rest• frustrated that “nervous system regulation” hasn’t worked the way it was promisedBlending neuroscience, endocrinology, somatic psychology, and lived experience, Kate offers a framework that replaces self-blame with clarity — and confusion with relief.Hi Love!I want you to know how grateful I am that you’re here. . . and I would love to invite you to journey even further with me.If you’re craving a steady place to land while life is shifting and reshaping you, come sit with us at The Hearth. It’s a gentle, grounded space for women in navigating change—an oasis of rhythm, reflection, and real support when the world feels loud or uncertain.And if midlife has felt less like a problem to solve and more an initiation, it is! Join our waitlist for The Second Firing. This work is for women who know something meaningful is happening—even if they can’t quite name it yet—and are ready to meet who they’re becoming on the other side. We begin soon!And finally, if anxiety has been looping in your body or mind, I have a simple gift for you. My FREE 54321 Anxiety Reset is a 7-minute, guided practice you can return to anytime you need to interrupt the spiral and come back into breath, body, and presence.However you’re walking with this work—thank you. I’m so glad our paths have crossed. Don't forget to Subscribe/Follow (and maybe drop a review!)xx.KateResources & Related EpisodesEverything You Know About Breathing Is WrongA foundational episode on CO₂ tolerance, nervous system regulation, and why over-breathing fuels anxiety — essential listening alongside this conversation.★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Not sure where to begin?Feeling overwhelmed or stuck in your head?Get my free 7-minute Anxiety Reset.A simple audio practice to help you calm your body and think more clearly.Feel like your old life no longer fits?Listen to The Second Firing.A free private podcast series for women navigating midlife transitions, reinvention, and the questions that won't leave them alone.Ready for personal support?Book a Threshold Session.A private 75-minute session to help you understand what's happening and identify your next right step.Instagram: @radicallykate