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PCAB is located in a quiet, rural location just outside of Princeville on the north shore of Kauai. We are located 1km from Princeville shops, a 10-min drive to Kilauea, and a 10-min drive to one of many beaches.
Our indoor classroom has screen windows and doors on three sides of the room that allow us to operate with just natural light, view the ocean and the mountains, and feel the trade winds blowing through. We also have an outdoor classroom space and a large grassy area that we often use during classes.
Our carpeted classroom is equipped with ceiling fans, a small fridge, chairs, Pisces Pro aluminum massage tables, as well as a white board, digital projector, skeletons, and anatomy models and charts.
We offer one massage therapy program, which is our Relational Bodywork Program on Kauai.
We also have an auxiliary Aquatic Program on the Big Island. This program can be taken on its own or after the Relational Bodywork Program. To our knowledge, we are the only program in Hawaii that is approved for placing aquatic therapy hours on a transcript.
Any hours acquired in either program are combined on one transcript.
We value a learning environment that welcomes a diversity of ideas, perspectives, and backgrounds.
We believe that a healthy society requires that everyone is provided dignity and respect, and that opportunity should be afforded to everyone, not varying by age, race, ethnicity, ancestry, national origin, citizenship, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, physical or mental abilities, criminal history, or religion.
We believe that we must transform both the societal systems and our own internal biases that promote and maintain inequality and any way of being that considers others as less than (racism, sexism, etc.). We stand with Black Lives Matter, embrace applicants from underrepresented groups, and humbly endeavor to acknowledge the ways we benefit from inequality.
No. PCAB is licensed by the Hawaii DOE, and PCAB is an NCBTMB-approved school.
In Hawaii, massage therapy students are trained through either apprentice programs or DOE-licensed schools.
Apprenticeship programs are unique to Hawaii and are not allowed to call themselves schools. Hours from an apprenticeship program are often not accepted by mainland massage boards since most hours are acquired only through time spent working in a student clinic.
Massage schools licensed by the DOE operate like regular massage therapy programs in the rest of the country.
PCAB is licensed by the Hawaii DOE, and PCAB is an NCBTMB-approved school.
In Hawaii, massage therapy students are trained through either apprentice programs or DOE-licensed schools.
Apprenticeship programs are unique to Hawaii and are not allowed to call themselves schools. Hours from an apprenticeship program are often not accepted by mainland massage boards since most hours are acquired only through time spent working in a student clinic.
Massage schools licensed by the DOE operate like regular massage therapy programs in the rest of the country.
PCAB offers financial support in the form of scholarships and work trade options.
Scholarships
- Twelve scholarships of $1000 are available for the first twelve individuals who enroll before May 31 in the 2024 program. See the tuition page for more details.
- Four additional scholarships of $1000 are available. Awarding of these scholarships is based on financial need.
- Two scholarships of $2500 are available for BIPOC individuals or any individuals from historically underprivileged or underrepresented groups.
Work-trade
- Four work-trade positions are available, with each position worth $750 off of tuition. Work-trade positions assist with classroom setup and takedown for 15 min before and after class each day.
Financial Aid
PCAB does not qualify for Federal Financial Aid.
PCAB has about a dozen faculty members from seven states, each with their own unique knowledge and experiences. Our faculty are all licensed massage therapists or psychotherapists with extensive experience in their field, and all are approved by the Hawaii DOE. Some faculty members hold advanced degrees in neuroscience and psychology.
Our faculty support student learning through a variety of means, including lectures, demonstrations, paired and group exercises, movement practices, palpation exercises, and regular feedback. They are dedicated to helping students achieve their full potential and succeed in their careers as massage therapists.
PCAB graduates are highly successful in obtaining the jobs they pursue, and they work in a wide variety of environments (spas, clinics, chiropractic offices, and on their own). They are well-prepared to work with a diverse range of clients and make a positive impact in the lives of those they serve.
Relational skills are critical in massage therapy, as they help build trust and safety and establish a therapeutic relationship with clients. Our students receive training in effective communication and interpersonal skills, as well as techniques for building rapport and creating a safe and healing environment for clients.
PCAB’s median yearly pass rate since 2011 is 100%. PCAB graduates consistently have a passing rate on the MBLEx that is significantly higher than the national average, including a 100% passing rate in 2021, 2022, and 2023 while the national pass rate was around 70% in those years. This is a testament to the high quality of our curriculum and the dedication and commitment of our faculty and students.
Trauma-informed massage therapy considers the effects of trauma on the body and mind and seeks to create a safe and healing environment for clients.
We prioritize trauma-informed care by incorporating this philosophy into every aspect of our curriculum and clinical training.
To learn more, please view our page on what it means to be trauma-informed.
There are a few answers to this. First, we offer a neurocentric massage therapy curriculum that is up-to-date with the latest neuroscience of pain and touch. Second, we integrate far practitioner cultivation and communication skills than most or all other massage programs. Third, our program offers a trauma-informed approach that is up-to-date with the latest understandings of the somatic psychology of trauma. Fourth, our program provides enough hours to qualify for massage therapy licensure in almost every state. Lastly, we are located on an incredibly beautiful island of Kauai that’s very supportive for learning, healing, and exploring.
No. It doesn’t matter what courses or workshops you’ve attended in the past. What we care about most is your interest in eagerness in facilitating health and wellbeing, and your ability to work with other classmates to co-create an optimal learning environment.
Yes, absolutely. There are many reasons to develop bodywork skills besides becoming a professional massage therapist, so it’s totally fine with us if you don’t have massage therapy as a career goal. Furthermore, while we are a massage therapy school, we think the tools from the Practitioner Cultivation and Relational Skills portion of the course are useful for everyone, so your interest in that is definitely important to us. There is also an option to attend only this portion of the program (please inquire about details).
Note that if you asked the opposite question, stating that you were interested in massage but not Practitioner Cultivation, we would recommend looking at a different school.
The cost of a massage program depends a great deal on the number of hours offered, the location of the school, and what is being offered at the school. Obviously a 500-hour school will be cheaper, on average, than a 1000 hour school. In 2013, the average tuition cost (with no taxes, fees, or supplies) of massage therapy programs in the USA was $13.5K. Our program provides many more hours than the national average (642) and offers it very near this average price , even though we’re located in a highly envied location.
Below is a comparison of our program’s hours and tuition with that of prominent programs that specialize in structural bodywork (2015 prices listed where not indicated).
PCAB: 764 hours for $13, 913 (2024)
Rolf Institute: 600-731 hours for $15,808-$18,165
Hellerwork: 1025 hours for $23,500
New School for Structural Integration: 1100 hours for $22,500
Institute for Structural Medicine: 2100 hours for $30,500
Click here for a comparison with other massage schools around the country (2020).
Our classes are 8:15-5:15 on 4 days per week, plus 4 additional hours per week during the last two trimesters of the program for our student clinic, so there’s plenty of time available to work if you choose. Keep in mind that you will need to allot some time outside of class for assignments and practicing massage skills.
Our program meets or exceeds the number of hours necessary for licensing in all states (except for NY and NE) and for NCBTMB Board Certification. The mean number of hours in massage programs in the US is between 642 and 697, and 625 is the number of hours recommended for core curriculum by the Entry-Level Massage Education Blueprint (2013). See the chart below for details, and check the latest requirements for your state, as they are always changing.
We do not offer any financial aid. We offer numerous partial scholarships, as well as partial work-study options. Please see the tuition page for more info.