Fernanda Reschke is a Brazilian-born Oriental dance artist, educator, and trauma-informed psychotherapist whose work bridges movement, culture, and healing. She began her career as a dancer and choreographer at a young age and later trained in counseling and naturopathy, holding a bachelor’s degree in holistic health and wellbeing. Fernanda spent many years living and performing professionally in the Middle East, specializing in Egyptian Raqs Sharqi and folkloric traditions of the SWANA region. Now based in Australia, she is internationally recognized for her warm, inclusive, and culturally respectful teaching approach. As a PACFA-accredited psychotherapist and advanced Somatic Experiencing practitioner, Fernanda supports dancers in reconnecting with their bodies, emotions, and sense of belonging while honoring Raqs Sharqi as a living cultural art form.

In this episode you will learn about:

• The hidden mental health challenges of working belly dancers

• Body image pressure, harassment, and unspoken industry norms

• How validation, visibility, and social media affect dancers’ nervous systems

• Why not every hardship is trauma — and why that distinction matters

• What “taking care of mental health” actually looks like in daily life