On-Site Art Therapists
Megan Fradley-Smith, MS, ATR-P
Megan Fradley-Smith (she/her) was born and raised in the balmy breezes of South Florida, always with a pencil in hand and a drawing in the works. She received a Bachelor's of Science in Psychology, with a minor in general education, from the University of Florida in 2006. She obtained a Master's of Science in Art Therapy from Florida State University in 2009, and is currently in the process of becoming board-certified.
Megan has worked in the clinical art therapy field for nearly a decade, within varied settings and populations. From behavioral health centers to in-patient residential facilities, Megan has served clients ranging in ages from 2-80 years old. Trained in trauma-focused play and art therapy, Megan deeply believes in the power of meeting clients where they are and assisting them on their journey of self-discovery. Her work is informed by Developmental and Cognitive-Behavioral theory, with an anchor in Humanistic psychology. Additionally, Megan is a lover of nature and wildlife, and enjoys bringing the outside in during the therapeutic process.
Megan focuses on work with clients struggling with Anxiety, Personality Disorders, Identity issues, and Mood Disorders. A mother herself, she passionately supports the needs of birthing and postpartum people.
Megan is available to see individuals 10 and up at our office in Oakland on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays or virtually.
ATR-P #22-299
Supervised by Tonia Herrero, ATR-BC #18-101
Fee: $145 / session
Melodee Robinson, MA, AMFT, ATR
Melodee Robinson (she/her) is an Oakland native who loves digital art. She received a BA in the Practice of Art from UC Berkeley in 2009. She obtained a Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy with a specialization in Art Therapy from Notre Dame De Namur University in 2015. She currently practices as a Registered Art Therapist and is working towards becoming board certified.
Melodee utilizes Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) as well as Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) techniques when working with individuals, couples, and families. She is trained in Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) and uses CPT techniques to address trauma. She takes a trauma informed approach when using art therapy in conjunction with play therapy and talk therapy.
Melodee has worked in both inpatient and outpatient settings providing therapy for children as young as 3 years old and adults up to 79 years old. Melodee specializes in working with young people that have a history of trauma and is especially passionate about working with black individuals, couples, and families. As a black woman, she believes in increasing awareness of mental health and utilizing art therapy to aid in healing historical trauma within the black community. In addition to the black community, she enjoys working with people from all ethnic and religious backgrounds as well as the LGBTQ+ population.
Melodee loves going shopping and having dancing parties with her 4 children in the living room. In her own art making practice, she enjoys photography and videography.
Melodee is available to see individuals ages 5 and up, families, and couples at our office in Oakland on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays or virtually.
ATR #21-260
Fee: $165 / session
Tonia Herrero, MPS, ATR-BC, LCAT
Tonia Herrero (she/her) is the owner and supervising Art Therapist of East Bay Art Therapy. Tonia is a cisgendered woman with Spanish, Ashkenazi, Irish and Native American (Sac and Fox) ancestry. Tonia is a Board Certified Art Therapist with the Art Therapy Credentials Board (national credentialing board) and a Licensed Certified Art Therapist in the state of Oregon. She has over seven years of clinical experience in the field of art therapy and specializes in pre-teens, adolescents, and young adults with anxiety, depression, trauma, substance-use, suicidal ideation, and self-harm. Her approach to art therapy is trauma-informed and draws influence from Relational Psychodynamic and Humanistic theories such as Person-Centered, Existential, and Gestalt. She is also trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) which informs her approach. Tonia is a Health At Every Size (HAES) and Intuitive Eating informed therapist which informs her work with clients struggling with their relationship to food and body image.
Tonia obtained her Bachelors of Fine Arts from California College of the Arts, an Art Teaching Credential from CSU East Bay, and a Masters of Professional Studies in Art Therapy and Creativity Development from Pratt Institute. Tonia has a long history of facilitating the powerful therapeutic relationship between art and young people. In her first career, she developed and directed an art academy at a public high school in Oakland where she was a full-time art teacher for ten years. Inspired by the healing power of the arts and the relationships she built with her students, Tonia decided to return to her hometown of Brooklyn, New York to pursue graduate studies in Art Therapy. During her graduate program, Tonia furthered her passion for adolescents as she completed various clinical internships providing individual and group art therapy to pre-teens and adolescents with complex trauma and other behavioral and mental health concerns in both residential and school settings.
Tonia has held various positions as an art therapist at facilities across the bay area such as; residential treatment facilities for teens and young adults in Marin County and the East Bay, transitional housing for adults with severe mental illness on the Peninsula, inpatient psychiatric hospitals in Oakland and Concord, and public high schools in Hayward and San Jose. Tonia founded East Bay Art Therapy in March of 2019.
Tonia is available to see individuals ages 10 and up at our office in Oakland on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays or virtually. She also works off-site providing art therapy groups at public schools throughout Alameda County and Santa Clara County and facilitates trainings and professional developments all around the bay area.
ATR-BC #18-101
LCAT #ART-C-10214083
Fee: $185 / session
Off-Site Art Therapists
Theresa Hong, MPS, ATR
Theresa Hong (she/her) is a registered art therapist with nearly eight years of experience in the field. She obtained a Bachelors degree in Psychology and Visual Arts at Emory University. After years of experiencing the healing powers of art herself, Theresa decided to pursue a Master of Professional Studies in Art Therapy and Creativity Development at Pratt Institute. Her experience as an art therapist includes inpatient, outpatient, school, and addiction treatment settings. Theresa has treated individuals of all ages, and her therapeutic approach has a psychodynamic and humanistic focus. She appreciates the privilege of guiding individuals on their journey of self-expression, self-discovery, and healing through art.
Theresa works off-site for East Bay Art Therapy providing art therapy groups at High Schools in East Side Union High School District in San Jose. Theresa also works as EBAT's Intake Coordinator for our Oakland office/private practice clients.
ATR #20-124
Lauren Chester, MPS, ATR-BC, LCAT
Lauren Chester (she/they) is a registered and board-certified art therapist (ATR-BC) who is passionate about cultivating environments where people can practice sharing their whole selves. Lauren believes in the process of art as a conduit for communication and expression and is passionate about the use of art to encourage meaningful conversations.
Lauren has worked in a wide range of settings including schools, hospitals, affordable housing, day treatment, and HIV treatment and prevention centers. Lauren focuses on work with clients who are navigating: grief, anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation, addiction and trauma.
Lauren completed Master's level training in New York at the School of Visual Arts (SVA) and is licensed in New York state (LCAT). In addition to Art Therapy, Lauren has trained and is certified in a range of modalities, including hypnotherapy, yoga, herbalism and reiki.
Lauren Chester works off-site for East Bay Art Therapy providing art therapy groups at K-12 schools throughout Santa Clara County. Starting in June 2023, Lauren will be facilitating the Teen Girls (H.S.) Art Therapy Group at the Oakland office on Sundays as well as seeing individual clients at the Oakland office on Tuesdays.
ATR-BC #13-264