Member Spotlight March 2026
Jacob Spallone
Discovering Massage Through Bartending
Nominated and written by: Liv B. Well, Membership Engagement Committee
The American Massage Therapy Association (AMTA) is proud to spotlight Jacob Spallone, a licensed massage therapist whose journey into the wellness field is rooted in resilience, dedication, and a genuine love for helping others feel their best.
A New Path into Massage Therapy
Jacob became an AMTA member shortly after starting massage therapy school in November 2023, marking the first step toward a career that felt naturally aligned with his strengths. Before entering the massage therapy field, Jacob spent most of his adult working life in the restaurant industry. While bartending and working in customer service, he developed strong communication skills and an intuitive sense of people’s needs. Skills that have translated seamlessly into his massage practice.
Finding the Right Fit
Jacob’s motivation to pursue massage therapy came after meeting several licensed massage therapists during his last bartending job. “Every massage therapist I’ve met has created a very successful independent career that sounded so appealing to me. The idea of being your own boss with your own hours is everything I’ve always wanted out of a career.” The more he learned about the profession, the more it felt like the perfect fit. As a hands-on learner who enjoys helping people, massage therapy offered both personal fulfillment and a way out of the demanding restaurant lifestyle.
He completed his massage therapy education at The Institute for Holistic Health in Poughkeepsie, New York, and became licensed in May 2025.
A Challenging but Rewarding Journey
Jacob describes his path to licensure as stressful but deeply rewarding. Living on his own, he had to work more hours to pay for school, which the out-of-pocket expenses, along with the massage school commitment, pushed him to his limits. Ultimately, the experience helped him recognize his own strength and determination.
“It was hard,” he shares, “but it showed me how much I was capable of.”
Growing as a Practitioner
Currently, Jacob practices at Hand & Stone in Monroe, NY, near Woodbury Commons. Here, he has already begun building a loyal clientele. Though still early in his career, he takes pride in seeing repeat clients leave sessions relaxed, satisfied, and eager to return.
His specialties include deep-tissue massage and relaxing Swedish-style massage. Jacob is best known for being friendly, attentive, and truly listening to his clients. “I want to gain experience and learn from every client I have during every session I’m in. If I don’t have something to learn from a session, I probably didn’t pay enough attention", Jacob explains.
Other than honing his skills session by session and understanding the subtleties of massage through his clients, Jake shares that he is very excited to learn Thai massage.
“The ability to extensively work a client's joints with essentially zero wear on your body is exciting. Being able to not worry about your own fatigue or energy and paying 100% attention to the client and their needs is everything I strive for in this profession, and my experience with Thai has taught me I need to learn more to become a more rounded practitioner.”
Jacob likes working with a diverse clientele and is currently focused on strengthening his skills and gaining experience, with the long-term goal of opening his own private practice. He is also eager to become more engaged and collaborate with like-minded professionals in the future.
Life Beyond the Table
Outside the treatment room, Jacob enjoys quiet time at home with his cat. He loves baking, reading, and unwinding with a good horror movie. Jake’s final piece of advice is both practical and heartfelt.
“Remember to ice your wrists!”
“Ice is magic. The second stage of healing, after hemostasis, is inflammation. The sooner you can reduce inflammation, the sooner the recovery process can begin in earnest. Anything you can do will help, even just putting an ice cube on your dominant wrist while you wait for a client to redress will extend your longevity.”
The AMTA is honored to spotlight Jacob Spallone and celebrate his growing contributions to the massage therapy profession.
Would You Like To Nominate an AMTA Member for the Spotlight?
To submit a nominee and explain why you think we should highlight them, contact membershipengagement@amta-ny.org. We’re looking forward to recognizing more amazing AMTA-NY members!