currently, triomind sessions are delivered via Zoom, although we can use other video conference providers if needed. you’ll receive a link to our meeting via email five minutes before our scheduled start time. during the session, the first while will be spent catching up on your practice and any pressing questions you have. we will then practice a custom-tailored guided meditation for roughly one-third of your appointment time. at the end, we’ll have further discussion and set some goals for you moving forward.

we firmly believe that meditation is a cognitive technology that can, and should, be available to absolutely all: regardless of physical ability, neurodivergence, or any other so-called “contraindication.” we work with you to build a practice that perfectly suits you, your body, mind, and lifestyle. that said, meditation is generally not recommended for those in the midst of a severe depressive lapse and should be re-approached as a maintenance technique once the severity of the depression has been managed through professional medical and mental health resources.

founder and head coach rio has been avidly pursuing his meditation practice for the better part of a decade. beginning in the University of British Columbia’s Zen Society under Chaplain Gareth Sirotnik, a community to which rio quickly became vice president before having to resign due to increasing struggles with Generalized Anxiety Disorder, he has moved through myriad disciplines of meditation since and soaked up each like a sponge.

rio is certified to teach meditation by Dr. Itai Ivtzan, PhD, a prominent figure in the field of positive psychology, via his evidence-based mindfulness teacher training. he has also achieved a bachelor’s of philosophy from UBC with research conducted in the philosophy of cognitive science, and additional focus placed on philosophy of mind and cross-cultural phenomenology.

while triomind sessions naturally feature some degree of teaching, and we will be working to build your knowledge base of both the technique and theory of meditation, triomind is first and foremost a collaborative effort. we’ll be directly addressing you and your practice, and the questions and issues that arise there. there’s no set curriculum, no pre-generated lesson plans, and no schedules. we move at your pace, your ability, and in the areas that interest you.

if anybody knows the struggles of traditional meditation, it’s head coach rio. chronic back pain resulting from spinal fractures at the age of fifteen, combined with a deep period of intense generalized anxiety through his university career made traditional meditation postures and techniques all but impossible. through careful study and effort, rio managed not only to adapt a practice that skillfully worked with these so-called roadblocks, but to eventually use meditation as an effective tool in easing these maladies. can’t sit lotus? no problem at all. does focusing on the breath make you anxious? we’ll work with it. triomind is here to adapt meditation to work best for you, not preach a one-size-fits-all curriculum.

triomind is delivered chiefly via online video conferencing technologies such as Zoom. a benefit of this in comparison to traditional meditation teaching is that we have the option of turning off our cameras, and you can even mute your microphone during a sit if it makes you more comfortable. all the benefits of customized, real-time meditation guidance, with the comfort of a completely individual sit, if desired.

triomind is prepared to coach all styles of meditation, from traditional vipassanā, to visualizations, and even walking meditation. that said, our coaching primarily has the direction of starting with focused awareness meditation — utilizing an object of attention to focus the sit — early in your practice, and moving to open-monitoring — meditation without an object of focus — as you become more proficient in your practice. along the way, we make sure to include a sampling of styles to give you a taste of what’s out there to explore, and we will place some focus on mētta — loving kindness practice — as compassion is a cornerstone of our philosophy here.

this is, obviously, a question that varies drastically based on who is asking. that said, we believe meditation is available to people of all faiths. the techniques we impart have no inherent religious affiliation and we can avoid philosophy entirely if it makes you more comfortable. you’re learning to quiet the mind and focus attention, not praying or worshiping.

we believe that we have something to offer all practitioners. even with a deep practice, having somebody there to bounce ideas off of or to nitpick issues with can be immensely rewarding and important. it may be much more of a collaborative discussion than a true coaching session, but we still encourage you to give us a try.

here at triomind, we observe the right to charge 50% of your session fee for a cancellation or rescheduling with less than 24 hours notice. we further observe the right to charge the full session fee if you no-show without advanced notice. that said, we understand life is complicated, and often messy. we will be more than open to hearing your case and adjusting this policy in the event of an emergency