“It’s not about being a “super coach, it’s about being authentic, and letting that authenticity guide the process”
Laura Festa is a mindfulness coach and somatic practitioner whose journey bridges the serene forests of Northern Italy with the vibrant parks of Beijing. With over two decades of cross-cultural experience living and working in China, Laura brings a unique blend of Eastern philosophy, Western coaching frameworks, and deep presence to her clients around the world.
Founder of BEING with-in NATURE, Laura’s work is rooted in mindful awareness, compassionate inquiry, and the transformative power of the natural world. Her philosophy is embodied in the metaphor she lives by mindfulness as the roots, somatic wisdom as the trunk, and nature as the branches of a thriving inner tree. Through this lens, she invites clients to ground themselves, access their authenticity, and rediscover what it means to truly be not just do.
Laura offers individual and group coaching, nature-based retreats, and embodied mindfulness practices. Her sessions provide a safe, spacious container where silence is honoured, shoes come off, and clients reconnect with both their surroundings and them. Known for her warm, intuitive presence, Laura has guided countless individuals particularly within the Chinese cultural context to clarity, personal transformation, and emotional freedom.
Whether you’re navigating life transitions, cultural identity shifts, or seeking reconnection in a busy world, Laura offers an invitation: to slow down, feel deeply, and come home to your own nature.
Listen to the podcast
Watch the podcast
Our guest
Originally from Italy, Laura Festa has been living and working in China for over 20 years. She describes herself as a traveler and explorer in life.
Certified ICF coach, she graduated in Chinese Language and Chinese culture from Venice University Ca Foscari.
Laura’s professional background has been as a project and team manager and deputy General Manager and installation/ team manager at an International Contemporary Art Gallery.
She is certified in “Mindfulness Coaching from within” at BMCAcademy, a Mindfulness Mentor under Tara Brach community, and has undergone Ecosomatic coach foundation training at Naturecademy , ICF Level 1.
She created Eco-Awareness and Being with- in Nature group circle and recently opened her company called Upekkha (Beijing) Consulting LTD .
Laura is fluent in Italian, Chinese (Mandarin), English, French and Spanish. She embodies a natural sense of curiosity and intuition, enabling her to stay open to different cultural perspectives and explore different domains with empathy. These are also fundamental traits of her coaching style.
Nature has been her companion and a refuge of calm, balance, and harmony through all her life. Mindfulness has been her anchor. Mindfulness and Nature both “naturally“ are integrated into her life and then into her coaching niche as a co-coach.
She supports clients to unlock their inner wisdom, cultivate resilience, evoke self-awareness and discover the way to equanimity(Upekkha)) in life. A transformative journey to H.E.A.L..

