For Graduates Preparing for Practitioner Certification 

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When you feel ready to take the next step after completing your 6-day Spiritual Hawaiian Lomilomi Massage training, this section outlines the pathway toward becoming a Certified Spiritual Hawaiian Lomilomi Massage Practitioner — including the required Paʻa Session to help ensure you are Mākaukau (ready).

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Preparing for Certification 

To be assessed for Practitioner Certification with The Institute of Living Aloha, you’ll need to give enough Spiritual Hawaiian Lomilomi Massage sessions after your initial training to reach a place where you genuinely feel ready to offer sessions professionally.

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Pa'a Session Requirement 

Before your practical assessment, you’ll need to book a Paʻa Session.
This session helps determine whether you are Mākaukau (ready), and gives space for you to reflect on your growth and preparedness. During your Paʻa Session, you’ll be invited to share about at least five lomilomi sessions you have given since your last Blisstitute training.

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When you feel ready, please book a Paʻa Session with Charlie Snow.

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Once this has been completed, you may then arrange your Practitioner Assessment.

 

Assessment options 

Assessments can take place:

• During another 6-day training

• At a Lomilomi Refresher Workshop

• By giving a Lomilomi session to a Senior Practitioner

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For Those Wishing to Join Our Practitioner Team

If you would like to be listed on our website and formally represent The Institute of Living Aloha, your assessment will include giving lomilomi to a Senior Practitioner. This can happen as your assessment itself, or after your initial assessment, depending on which pathway feels Pono for you.

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PRACTITIONER ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:

 

You will be asked to conduct your session as if you don’t know the receiver or their gender, and work as if the person receiving has not had a lomilomi before. This allows you to show how you work with a new client, including an explanation of what lomilomi is and what happens in the session (to the extent that is appropriate to talk about with a new client)​

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Before the Session

• Was your communication about scheduling the assessment and booking the lomilomi session clear?

• Are you dressed in appropriate clothing for giving lomilomi?

• Do you allow time to connect and check in before beginning?

• Do you ask if there is anything you need to know about the receiver’s body?

• Do you ask how the receiver is feeling and invite them to share more if they wish?

• Do you ask for and correctly use the receiver’s pronouns?

• Do you invite the receiver to set an intention for the session?

• Do you clearly explain what lomilomi is?

• Do you explain that the receiver has full autonomy over their body throughout the session, and what that means?

• Do you invite the receiver to communicate any needs or adjustments during the session?

• Do you explain practical details such as how to get onto the table and what will happen at the end of the session?

• Do you share a Hawaiian pule (prayer) at the start of the session?

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During the Session

• Is your session conducted in a professional manner?

• Is the music playlist you choose appropriate for lomilomi?

• Do you use an appropriate amount of oil?

• Is the sarong draped appropriately at all times?

• Do you use long, flowing strokes, stretches, underbody work, and focused work appropriately?

• Do you take into account anything the receiver shared about their body or needs?

• Do you use your breath intentionally while giving lomilomi?

• Do you work intuitively?

• Are you fully present and practicing with aloha throughout the session?

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After the Session

• Do you share a closing pule to complete the session?

• Do you conclude the lomilomi in a grounded, supportive, and clear way?

• Do you allow space at the end of the session to check in with the receiver (whether needed or not)?

• Do you maintain professionalism at all times?

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Ideally, to pass your practitioner assessment, the answers to all the questions above will be a clear YES. Occasionally, usually due to nerves, a person may forget one or two things, or not do them very well.

If these are small things, the Senior Practitioner will speak with you about this after the session and ask if you usually do these things or not. If it becomes clear that you do, and the Senior Practitioner feels that you can still be passed, you will pass.

 

If however, you miss vital things and/or you donʻt usually do these things, the Senior Practitioner may discuss all of this with Charlie Snow before a decision is made. If itʻs completely clear that you are not working at a professional level to be passed for Practitioner Certification by The Institute of Living Aloha, then the Senior Practitioner assessing you will let you know this. This will all be done with aloha and encouragement to keep giving, practicing and growing, so that you can return to be assessed again when you feel you are ready to try again, using the Senior Practitioners feedback and support.

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If you would like feedback from the Senior Practitioner who is assessing you, you can ask for this and they will share this with you at a time that is Pono for you both, usually sometime after the session. 

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In the rare circumstance that someone does not pass their Practitioner Assessment and they do not agree with this outcome, they are welcome to have a discussion with Charlie Snow about this. 

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