Julie Suarez Cormier
Julie Suarez Cormier, Lic. Ac., MAOM, is an NCCAOM board-certified Diplomate in Acupuncture, as well as a Licensed Acupuncturist and Chinese Herbologist in Vermont. She holds a Master of Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine degree from the New England School of Acupuncture. During the intensive 3 1/2 year program at NESA she studied Chinese and Japanese styles of acupuncture, Chinese herbology, nutrition, and Qi Gong. Since graduating in 2001 Julie has continued her education, most notably with the late Dr. Richard Tan, from whom she learned distal needling techniques and the Balance Method of acupuncture; Peter Holmes, L.Ac., owner of Snow Lotus Essential Oils; and Heiner Fruehauf, ND, founder of Classical Pearls, an herbal medicine company focusing on the management of chronic illness stemming from entrenched pathogens such as we see in long COVID and chronic Lyme disease.
Julie apprenticed with several acupuncturists in Central Vermont in the late 90‘s, and opened her first practice in New York City in 2001. She co-founded Acupuncture on Park, LLP, in midtown Manhattan with two of her colleagues from acupuncture school. While treating a variety of disorders, they specialized in infertility and held weekly support groups and informational seminars for their patients. Julie opened New York City’s first community acupuncture clinic in Astoria, Queens in 2007. After starting a family she and her husband Lester, our current Clinic Director, returned to Julie's home state of Vermont in 2010. Since founding Vermont Community Acupuncture in Burlington, Julie has personally provided over 28,000 acupuncture treatments to Vermonters. At VCA Julie's focus has been on the management of chronic pain and illness, from pediatrics to geriatrics.
Julie began her career in wholistic medicine after graduating with a B.S. in Biological Sciences from Carnegie Mellon University, where her focus was Genetics and Developmental Biology. She finds that her background in scientific research is a useful complement to her Traditional Chinese Medicine approach, especially when working with patients' primary care physicians. Julie has been a guest lecturer at UVM and UVM College of Medicine . Julie has hospital privileges at the University of Vermont Medical Center, and currently serves as the lead acupuncturist at the Osher Center for Integrative Health at UVM. Integrating Western and Eastern medicine is her specialty!
Matthew Stone
Matthew Stone, Lic. Ac., MSOM, received his Masters of Science in Oriental Medicine from Southwest Acupuncture College in Santa Fe, NM and is currently a licensed acupuncturist in the state of Vermont. He joined Vermont Community Acupuncture in 2017.
During his 3-year program, Matthew was introduced to Classical Chinese Medicine, a theoretical framework built upon the teachings found in ancient Chinese texts, which is often left out of the curriculum in modern acupuncture schools. As a result, Matthew participated in a year-long mentorship, outside of his graduate studies, with a practitioner who specialized in Classical Chinese Medicine. This mentorship involved over 135 hours of classroom and clinical observation where Matthew learned how to utilize alternative acupuncture channels and pathways in order to effectively treat chronic illness, emotional issues, and pain.
Matthew received his B.S. in Environmental Studies from the University of Vermont in 2009. His senior thesis focused on music as a sense of place, which involved thru-hiking the Long Trail and writing original musical compositions that weaved his own experiences with the history of the trail. Chinese Medicine is a truly natural science that is grounded in spirit and the heart, a combination that resonates greatly with Matthew and how he views himself as a practitioner. He is very excited to be back home in Vermont, and is humbled and honored that he is able to give back to a community that has given him so much. It is his goal to create a safe environment and provide effective clinical services to his patients, enabling them to envision and live a life free of illness.
Libby Ruby
Libby Ruby, L.Ac, MSOM, graduated from Southwest Acupuncture College in Boulder, Colorado. She is a National Board Certified Acupuncturist and a certified acupuncturist in Vermont. She is trained in sports medicine acupuncture and has worked on Divison One athletes in Colorado. She is also trained in Kototama Japanese acupuncture, Chinese acupuncture, shiatsu and tuina massage, orthopedic muscle testing, and herbal medicine.
Libby has a strong passion to help others heal through acupuncture. She specializes in sports medicine, pain management, hormone regulation, stress/anxiety, digestive issues and insomnia. She enjoys working with people from all walks of life and treating a wide variety of health conditions.
Prior to her acupuncture degree, Libby received a Bachelor's degree in philosophy and religion from Flagler College. In addition, she received her Master's degree in contemplative religions from Naropa University. Her Master's thesis was focused on the relationship of pain within the mind body connection. She is also a certified Kripalu Yoga instructor.
Libby has recently moved to Vermont and is enjoying the cold weather and beauty Vermont has to offer. In her spare time she likes to enjoy the outdoors with her husband. She is a bird watcher, enjoys cooking, and loves to go hiking.
Laurel Audy
Reiki Practitioner
Laurel is a Vermonter and found her way to Reiki while taking care of her fellow Vermonters as a Hospice & Palliative Care nurse.
Reiki, an energy medicine originating in Japan, provided a wonderful way of offering healing and touch to people who were navigating serious illness and end of life.
In 2008, Laurel was attuned to Reiki Levels I and II; and in 2016, she was attuned to Level III Reiki Master practitioner and teacher and is certified in the Reiki tradition of Usui Shiki Ryoho. Due to her belief in natural healing, she furthered her studies in Wellness and Alternative Medicine, graduating with a B.S. in 2016 and married this way of thinking with her traditional care as an RN. She is honored to provide this modality as way of promoting peace and calm to those who receive it.
Sessions with Laurel are currently available on select Fridays and Saturdays. Please see her website bluemoonvt.com for more information.