Frequently Asked Questions

Where are Coaching Sessions conducted?

For in-person work, we will meet at my home office in Longmont, CO. For those out of the area, I conduct all of my sessions virtually over zoom.

What is spiritual coaching, and how does it differ from traditional coaching?

Spiritual coaching blends personal growth with deeper self-awareness, focusing on purpose, meaning, and inner peace. Unlike traditional coaching, which often emphasizes career or performance goals, spiritual coaching at Modern Tao integrates Taoist philosophy, mindfulness, and meditative practices to help you overcome anxiety, disconnection, or derealization, fostering a vibrant, grounded life.

Who can benefit from spiritual coaching with Modern Tao?

High-achieving professionals, executives, creatives and spiritually curious individuals who feel stressed, disconnected, or stuck can benefit. If you’re seeking clarity, purpose, or relief from anxiety or scattered habits, our personalized approach helps you move from friction to flow, aligning with your authentic self.

How does Modern Tao Coaching incorporate Taoism?

Taoism guides our coaching by emphasizing natural flow and the act of balancing aspects of your life with your natural momentum. Two concepts from Taoism are Wu-Wei (effortless action, natural-ness) & the concept of Mutual Arising (duality). These concepts, once integrated and understood, yield limitless insights, freedom, and understanding about life that serve to free us from our moment-to-moment constraints.

What makes Modern Tao Coaching unique?

Most coaching programs focus on the results achieved by assessing your behavior and making calculated changes based on what you’re moving towards. Working with me, we look at the root causes of your behaviors and help you understand life through a holistic lens. When you begin to see that your life is interconnected, interdependent, and bursting with meaning, you can handle anything that life presents in your path. Everything that happens in a coaching container is aimed at helping you increase self-awareness - including entirely unique, personalized visualizations/meditations presented especially for you.

Coaching Process and Benefits

How can coaching help with anxiety reduction and derealization?

Awareness is the Master Key. Intuitive Coaching helps you build mindfulness habits and personalized meditation practices to stay grounded and present. We address the root causes of what’s going on with you and help you develop the skills, awareness, practices, and lifestyle that are most effective for you as a unique individual. No two humans are alike but there are commonalities between us - the practices that work for you may be way off track for another; that’s why my focus when working with you is on what resonates with you, and what you can actually stay committed to.

What is mindfulness, and how is it used in your coaching?

Mindfulness is the practice of staying fully present and aware - it is the ability to witness your life from the perspective of “the one who watches” your life happen. At Modern Tao, we teach customized mindfulness techniques based on your unique personality to help you replace scattered habits with intentional actions, fostering calm and clarity in a complex world.

Can coaching help me find purpose and meaning in life?

Yes! I guide you to uncover your deeper purpose and align your actions with what lights you up. Our sessions help you move beyond stress and disconnection to a life that feels vibrant and meaningful.

What is shamanic healing, and how does it fit into coaching?

Shamanic healing uses earth-centered rituals, energy work, and personalized ceremonies to clear emotional and energetic blocks. Shamans and healers have been around long before our modern world, and as such, they were regularly consulted for matters of health, guidance, and understanding. Often when we don’t know the answer to a problem or need help with something we are going through, it can be helpful to get into a state of restful receiving, allowing another heart-centered individual to connect with us on a deeper, intuitive level. When we open ourselves up to spirit in this way, many things can happen that leave us feeling better. Shamanic healing helps us to drop into deeper brain wave states so that we can re-write unconscious/subconscious patterns in our energy field, allowing an avenue towards the fulfillment of our life’s purpose and direction.

How does energetic awareness play a role in your coaching?

Energetic awareness involves tuning into your emotional and spiritual energy. We use visualizations, qigong, and energy work to help you release subconscious patterns, reduce stress, and align with your true self, enhancing overall well-being.

Program and Session Details

What is the “From Friction to Flow” 12-week program?

Designed specifically to help you wake up to a more holistic approach to health, wealth, and relationships, the Friction to Flow program is ideal for people who have tried many other self-help resources without achieving the results they’re after. You can expect to have your worldview opened, your preconceived notions of what life is shattered, and your perspective to be expanded. Holistic health means looking at our lives through a metaphysical lens - mind, body, spirit as well as occupation, relationships, habits, & inclinations.

What happens in a free discovery call?

We take the necessary time to get to know one another and decide if working together is a good fit for BOTH of us. I ask you thought provoking questions about your life and your outlook, and what challenges and problems you may be facing. I will also give you space to ask any questions on your heart about the work or about me and my past/credentials. If after this call we both feel a resounding “yes”, we move into the details (duration, frequency, specific practices you’re interested in, and goal setting) of our coaching agreement.

How do I know if I’m ready for coaching?

If you’ve tried other modalities such as traditional therapy and felt like you weren’t getting the results you desired, or weren’t getting to the depth of your issues, Spiritual Coaching may be for you. If you feel drained, disconnected, floaty, or stuck in patterns like anxiety, fear, or harmful habits, you’re ready. Our coaching is for those committed to self-help and transformation, seeking a life of clarity, presence, and meaning.

Can I try shamanic healing without committing to coaching?

Yes! Shamanic healing sessions are available as standalone experiences or as part of your coaching journey.

What results can I expect from coaching with Modern Tao?

Clients often report feeling more grounded, present, and confident in their skin. You’ll build lasting mindfulness habits, reduce anxiety and derealization, and align with your purpose. My guarantee: feel a measurable shift in presence and peace, or receive 3 additional sessions free.

Practical Information

How do I book a session or join the 12-week program?

Book a free discovery call on the contact page at modern-tao.com or email me directly: moderntaocoaching@gmail.com.

Are sessions in-person or online?

If you’re in the area, in-person sessions are available. For all other locales, sessions are conducted online via secure video calls.

How much time do I need to commit to coaching?

When we start our engagement, our first session is 2 hours - this is to get everything out on the table and come up with a trajectory for us to move towards. After that, session are 90 minutes on average. The “Friction to Flow” program includes 12 sessions (preferably weekly) with flexibility to fit your needs.

What if I don’t feel a change after coaching?

I guarantee that if you commit to yourself and to the work in our engagement together, you will feel a noticeable change and can expect to see tangible results in your life. I am not hear to hold your hand, but to guide you towards your own empowerment, confidence, and success. Your active engagement will be the sole ingredient needed to feel a change.

If for some reason you don’t feel happy with the service provided to you, I will make every effort to help you uncover the road-blocks preventing your success. I also offer an additional 3 sessions, absolutely free to you, if the program did not meet your expectations.

About Kristian Hval

Who is Kristian Hval, and why should I trust him as my coach?

Kristian Hval is a spiritual life coach with over a decade of experience in meditation, qigong, shamanism, and energy healing. Having overcome a life of addiction, and also the entrepreneurial path of bootstrapping and running a kombucha business, he draws upon the lessons from his own life path as well as a wide variety of teachings to help you as a unique individual. He has a gift for being able to see what you have trouble seeing, to guide you through uncertain times, and help you step over the threshold of transformation and big moments.

How does Kristian’s background inform his coaching?

Kristian’s journey through addiction, burnout, and spiritual awakening shapes his empathetic, grounded approach. His training in Taoism, mindfulness, energetic awareness, and shamanism, combined with real-world business experience, equips him to guide you from stress to serenity. His most valuable skills are guided by his unique life experience and compassionate, heart-centered awareness and dedication to his clients.

Additional Questions

Can coaching help with work-life balance?

Absolutely. Our coaching helps you master time and energy management, replacing distractions with purposeful actions. You’ll learn to prioritize what matters, fostering balance and reducing stress in both work and personal life. Kristian masterfully blends practical tools and frameworks with holistic, spiritual awareness-building habits.

Is Modern Tao Coaching suitable for beginners in spirituality?

Yes! Whether you’re new to spirituality or experienced, our personalized approach meets you where you are. We introduce Taoist principles and mindfulness in an easy-to-follow way, tailored to your comfort level. In fact, the way Kristian teaches meditation, visualization, and spiritual lifestyle practices in general is catered to you at your specific level of practice and understanding.

How does Modern Tao Coaching ensure long-term results?

The topics we focus on are all about WHO you naturally are. The person you want to become I’ll dictate your behavior, and the behavior will yield the results. Your habits are a confirmation of your identity. We focus on sustainable habits, not quick fixes. Using his unique ability to help you see yourself, Kristian guides you with compassion to ensure you meet your goals. He also takes the time to help you assess your goals and make realistic plans for achievement. Additionally, by entering into a set container with Kristian, he makes an agreement to hold you in his awareness outside of the sessions, providing intuitive insights & resources when appropriate.