My name is Ronan McDermott, and I am a Professional Counselor Associate and a Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC). I am white, queer, nonbinary, able-bodied, and a late-diagnosed AuDHDer.

Before entering the counseling field, I spent 15 years in the restaurant industry, where I learned the value of humor and trauma-informed approaches in connecting with people across all types of settings.

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Therapeutic Approach

I believe that clients are the experts of their own lives, with my role being that of a guide. My approach integrates:

• Holistic frameworks

• Queer and feminist perspectives

• Social justice, intersectionality, collaboration, and advocacy

I am committed to ongoing self-education and strive to decolonize counseling practices within the therapeutic relationship.

Drawing from my background in crisis work and disability justice, I recognize the importance of agency and meaning-making in clients’ lives. I use tools from several approaches, including:

• Client-centered therapy

• Strengths-based therapy

• Existential-humanistic therapy

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Credentials and Experience

• Master’s in Counseling, Clinical Rehabilitation Counseling specialty – Portland State University

• Professional experience:

  • Crisis intervention specialist, including work on 988 and the Veterans Crisis Line

  • Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor at the Oregon Commission for the Blind (since 2023)

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About Me

I grew up in Central New York and have moved across the country three times, including three years in Washington, D.C., before settling in Portland 12 years ago.

Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my rescue Border Collie mix, Siobhan.