MPS, ATR-BC, LCAT, ATCS (she/her)
Practice Owner / Founder
Licensed & Board-Certified Art Therapist & Certified Supervisor
Works with individuals ages 14+
In-Person Only
Available: Wed & Thur
MPS, ATR-BC, LCAT (she/they)
Licensed & Board-Certified Art Therapist
Works with individuals ages 4+
In-Person or Virtual
(Also Licensed in NY & OR)
Available: Tues, Wed, & Fri
MPS, ATR (she/her)
Registered Art Therapist
Intake Coordinator
Works with individuals ages 10+
In-Person or Virtual
Available: Mon & Thur
NOT ACCEPTING NEW CLIENTS AT THIS TIME
MS, ATR (she/her)
Registered Art Therapist
Works with individuals ages 10+
In-Person or Virtual
Available: Mon, Tue, & Fri
MA, AMFT, ATR (she/her)
Registered Art Therapist
Associate Marriage & Family Therapist
Works with individuals ages 4+
Offers Family & Couples Therapy
In-Person Only
Available: Sat Only
MA, AMFT, ATR-P (she/her)
Art Therapist
Works with individuals ages 13+
Offers Family & Couples Therapy
Virtual Only
Available: M-F
MA, ATR-P (she/her)
Art Therapist
Works with individuals ages 4+
In-Person or Virtual
Available: Mon, Thur, & Sun
MA, AMFT, ATR-P (she/her)
Art Therapist
Sutter Health Mills Peninsula Health Center
MA, AMFT, P-RDT (she/her)
Drama Therapist
Sutter Health Mills Peninsula Health Center
MT-BC (they/she)
Board-Certified Music Therapist
Sutter Health Mills Peninsula Health Center
MA, ATR (she/her)
Registered Art Therapist
Sutter Health Mills Peninsula Health Center
Practice Owner / Founder
Licensed & Board-Certified Art Therapist
Art Therapy Certified Supervisor
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 and Certified Supervisor with the Art Therapy Credentials Board and a Licensed Certified Art Therapist in the state of Oregon. She has over eight years of clinical experience in the field of art therapy and specializes in helping adolescent boys access, express and process emotions and trauma as well as find healthy ways to express and manage their anger. Additionally, Tonia specializes in adolescents and adults of all genders with substance-use concerns (or in recovery from addiction/alcoholism) as well as dual-diagnosis (substance-use plus mental health diagnosis/es). Tonia has long term sobriety/recovery herself and is passionate about working with folks in recovery or wanting to enter recovery from substance-abuse. For decades, Tonia has demonstrated an innate talent and ability to build positive rapport with adolescents, especially teen boys. Her approach to art therapy is trauma-informed and draws influence from Internal Family Systems (IFS), 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, justice-involvement, 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, transitional housing for adults with severe mental illness, inpatient psychiatric hospitals, and K-12 public schools. Tonia founded East Bay Art Therapy in March of 2019.
Tonia is available to see individuals ages 14 and up at the Oakland office on Wednesday and Thursday and facilitates the Young Adult Art Therapy Group. She also works off-site providing art therapy groups at public schools in Oakland (OUSD) and facilitates arts-based trainings, professional developments, and workshops throughout the SF Bay Area. Tonia is available for consultation services. Tonia supervises all other EBAT therapists.
ATR-BC #18-101 (National)
LCAT #ART-C-10214083 (Oregon)
Fee: $200 / session
Licensed & Board-Certified Art Therapist
Lauren Chester (she/they) is a registered and board-certified art therapist (ATR-BC), a Licensed Creative Arts Therapist (LCAT) in the state of New York, and a Licensed Certified Art Therapist (LCAT) in the state of Oregon. Lauren 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’s practice of Art Therapy has been heavily influenced by the Disability Justice and Healing Justice movements and is non-hierarchical, co-creative, neurodivergent-affirming, and gender-affirming.
Lauren focuses on work with clients who are navigating: grief, anxiety, depression and suicidal ideation, substance use/addiction, trauma, and themes of identity such as gender and sexuality. Lauren also specializes in working with ADHD and autistic individuals and is trained in Floortime for working with young autistic children. A significant portion of Lauren’s clinical work (6 years) has been with supporting clients who identify as members of the LGBTQIA+ community. Lauren has worked in a wide range of clinical and community-based settings and with a range of populations in over 14 years of experience, including: schools (K-12), psychiatric hospitals, affordable housing, day treatment, and HIV treatment and prevention.
Lauren’s journey as a clinician began with formal education (a Bachelor’s of Fine Art at the University of Georgia and a Master’s of Professional Studies in Art Therapy from the School of Visual Arts in New York City). However after navigating a major health crisis in 2013 Lauren became passionate about understanding how our minds and bodies can work together, and pursued additional training in supportive modalities, such as yoga (200-hour plus additional training in restoratives and trauma sensitive yoga).
When not working in Art Therapy, Lauren spends time loving their rescue dog and bestie Tucker, learning about motorcycles, digging around in the leaves for mushrooms, and herbalism. Lauren's future goals include building out a schoolie as a mobile art studio, and using it to host meaningful conversations in the community through art making.
Lauren is available to see individuals ages 4 and up at the Oakland office on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday (or virtually). She facilitates the Teen Art Therapy Group. Lauren is available for art therapy supervision. Lauren has worked off-site for East Bay Art Therapy providing art therapy groups for Santa Clara County K-12 schools and Human Good (affordable housing).
ATR-BC #13-264 (National)
LCAT #001665 (New York)
LCAT #ART-C-10236427 (Oregon)
Fee: $190 / session
Registered Art Therapist & Intake Coordinator
NOT ACCEPTING NEW CLIENTS AT THIS TIME
Theresa Hong (she/her) is a Registered Art Therapist with eight years of experience in the field. She obtained a Bachelor's 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 individuals and groups of all ages at K-12 schools, inpatient & outpatient psychiatric, and substance use treatment settings. Her therapeutic approach is eclectic and is client-centered while also considering childhood experiences and relational patterns. Theresa believes that the art-making process in itself is therapeutic and she encourages clients to explore their creativity and follow their intuition in art therapy treatment. She brings structure to sessions but will always follow the client’s lead.
Theresa focuses on work with clients who experience anxiety, depression, severe mood disorders, and neurodivergent individuals and helps clients towards self-discovery of patterns in behaviors/relationships. She is passionate about supporting those who struggle with self-esteem, self-worth, identity, body image, and shame/guilt. Theresa helps clients to utilize the art-making process to communicate about topics that do not come easily with words, or even to discover something they did not know needed to be communicated. She believes that art-making can empower clients to take ownership of their mental wellness and make lasting change. Theresa aids individuals in developing tools for managing symptoms/stressors outside of sessions.
Theresa is certified in: trauma-informed art therapy, treating anxiety in children & adolescents, art therapy approaches to resilience & stress-reduction, yoga, and expressive arts therapy. Theresa is a registered yoga teacher (RYT).
Theresa is available to see individuals ages 10 and up at the Oakland office on Monday and Thursday (or virtually). Theresa facilitates the Adult Open Studio Art Therapy Group and provides off-site art therapy services through Neuro Community Care / Wounded Warrior Project. She has previously worked off-site for East Bay Art Therapy providing art therapy groups at East Side Union High School District in San Jose. Theresa also works as EBAT's Intake Coordinator for our private practice.
ATR #20-124 (National)
Fee: $170 / session
Registered Art Therapist
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. Megan is a Registered Art Therapist and is working towards board-certification.
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 the Oakland office on Monday, Tuesday and Friday (or virtually). Megan has also provided off-site workshops in the East Bay.
ATR #22-299 (National)
Fee: $170 / session
Registered Art Therapist / Associate Marriage & Family Therapist
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 90 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 4 and up, families, and couples at the EBAT office in Oakland on Saturdays only. She also has provided off-site groups for Human Good (affordable housing) in Oakland as well as workshops throughout the East Bay.
ATR #21-260 (National)
AMFT #122945 (CA)
Supervised by Amy Backos, ATR-BC, PhD, PSY #24943
Fee: $170 / session
Art Therapist
Angelina Nader (she/her) is an Art Therapist with a multi-faceted background. Growing up in a multicultural environment has instilled in Angelina a profound appreciation for multi-faceted identities, which she integrates seamlessly into her therapeutic approach, often examining dynamic generational patterns through a compassionate, humanistic lens.
Angelina is trained in Somatic therapies, EMDR, Mindfulness, DBT, CBT, and expressive arts therapy and her approach is collaborative and firmly rooted in trauma-informed care. Angelina helps individuals, couples, families and groups develop practical tools for managing symptoms and stressors outside of sessions. She specializes in guiding clients through trauma, anxiety, depression, ADHD, and blocks in creativity and self exploration. With a passion for supporting those navigating transitional phases such as grief and loss or major career / life changes, she utilizes art-making to facilitate communication and empower clients in regaining ownership of their mental wellness.
Angelina obtained a Bachelor's degree in Communication at University of California, San Diego and after years of experiencing the healing powers of dance, mindfulness and art, Angelina pursued her Master’s degree in Fine Arts in Marital & Family Therapy with a specialization in Art Therapy from Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. She is also a registered meditation / mindfulness teacher.
Angelina is available to see individuals, couples and families, ages 13 and up on Monday, Wednesday and Friday (VIRTUAL ONLY). Angelina also works off-site for East Bay Art Therapy providing art therapy groups at East Side Union High School District in San Jose.
ATR-P # 24-029 (National)
Supervised by Tonia Herrero, MPS, ATR-BC, LCAT, ATCS
Fee: $160 / session
Art Therapist
Danielle Swan (she/her) is an art therapist and clinical mental health professional. As a black woman, Danielle is passionate about liberated practices and the destigmatization of mental health. She is dedicated to a holistic approach to wellness and personal creative expression. She values the creativity each person holds and is inspired by the ability art has to support care in therapy.
She is passionate about mental wellness throughout the lifespan working with children as young as 4 to older adults. Danielle has honed her skills in CBT, DBT, ACT, and mindfulness and integrates these approaches with art therapy to address the needs of individuals. Danielle specializes in working with members of marginalized communities experiencing depression, anxiety, and life transitions. She offers accessible skills to help manage grief, assists in establishing routines, holds space for emotional expression and collaborates with clients on utilizing accessible coping skills. Danielle is committed to working from a trauma-informed lens, acknowledging care and safety as the starting point in pursuit of wellness.
Danielle received her Masters in Art Therapy and Counseling from The School of The Art Institute of Chicago. Here she found a passion for understanding identity development and community group work. Danielle values the meaningful impact of therapeutic work with others and the ways sharing of stories can encourage growth and connection. Danielle has practiced in elementary schools, inpatient /outpatient facilities, private practice, and community-based programs.
Danielle is a west coast native with experience in city centers in New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles. She loves to engage in all the arts including dance, music and the visual arts whether creating for herself, friends, and family or visiting shows and museums.
Danielle is available to see clients ages 4 and up at our Oakland Office on Sundays (or virtually) and she will be adding more in-office days in the future. Danielle facilitates the Adult Open Studio Art Therapy Group
ATR-P # (National)
Supervised by Tonia Herrero, MPS, ATR-BC, LCAT, ATCS
Fee: $160 / session
Art Therapist
Merna has always been an artist and avid lover of anything creative since she was a little girl. She was born and raised in the SF Bay Area. Merna earned her Bachelors in psychology with a minor in art from Notre Dame De Namur University in Belmont, CA in 2014. She obtained a Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Therapy with a specialization in Art Therapy also from NDNU in 2017. She currently practices as an ATR-Provisional and is working on advancing her art therapy credentials.
Through her love for art and desire to support people on their healing journey, she utilizes a trauma informed and psychodynamic approach when providing art therapy in combination with talk therapy. She incorporates a focus on clients' strengths and provides coping tools to help manage day to day struggles and hardships.
Merna has worked in a variety of settings and populations, including: schools, hospitals, addiction residential treatment, and clinic settings. She has provided individual and group art therapy to children, teens, adults, and families. As a Middle Eastern woman (Palestinian) and fluent in Arabic, she believes in increasing awareness and promoting the benefits of art therapy within the Middle Eastern community. Additionally, she enjoys working with people from all ethnic and religious backgrounds and takes pride in being culturally sensitive.
Merna loves reading, exploring new places/restaurants, and spending time with her dog. In her own art making practice, she loves working with a variety of media including acrylic paint, colored pencils, and completing do-it-yourself projects. Her art has been featured in exhibitions throughout the SF Bay Area.
Merna works off-site providing art therapy groups at Sutter Mills Peninsula Medical Center (Adolescent Psychiatric Unit) in San Mateo, CA.
ATR-P #23-249 (National)
Supervised by Tonia Herrero, MPS, ATR-BC, LCAT, ATCS
Drama Therapist
Daphne Ong (she/her) is a Drama Therapist who grew up in Singapore with theatre under her skin and the arts in her blood. She moved to the San Francisco Bay Area in 2017 where she graduated with her Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology with a concentration in Drama Therapy from the California Institute of Integral Studies. Daphne is a Provisional Registered Drama Therapist and is working towards full professional credentialing in drama therapy.
Daphne's therapy work spans both private practice model and community mental health with individuals and groups. Her work is trauma-informed, and includes somatically-informed experiential methods and psychodrama. Having grown up in a multicultural and multilingual environment, intersectionality is an integral part of Daphne's therapeutic approach.
Before coming to therapy, Daphne spent 10 years as a theatre performer where she witnessed the healing and connecting power of drama. She maintains a special interest in developing therapeutic theatre works, especially in social justice.
Daphne works off-site providing drama therapy groups at Sutter Mills Peninsula Medical Center (Adolescent Psychiatric Unit) in San Mateo, CA.
P-RDT #59 (National)
AMFT #122953 (California)
Supervised by Roni Alperin RDT/BCT, LMFT #94472
Board-Certified Music Therapist
Olivia Krent (they/she) is a queer, non-binary & Korean-American Music Therapist. They were born and raised in Brooklyn, NY and received their MT-BC credential in September of 2023. She attended Berklee College of Music in Boston, MA to receive her Bachelor of Music in Music Therapy with a Minor in Psychology. Olivia has had a passion for singing and playing the guitar since they were a young child and when they discovered the profession of music therapy in high school, they found a calling that combined their love for music with their desire to provide care for those in their communities and others.
Olivia's approach to music therapy is greatly influenced by a medical psychosocial model and she believes that while working in medical settings, it is important to see the patients and families she works with as their whole selves. Olivia understands that context is key to gain a rich understanding of a person you're caring for as they embark on their personal journey to wellness and healing. Olivia has had experiences in a number of populations: children and adolescents with disabilities in a school setting, geriatrics, community music therapy, and services in pediatric outpatient oncology. Most recently, she completed her internship through The Louis Armstrong Department of Music Therapy at Mount Sinai in New York in spring of 2023, with a focus in research as well as providing music therapy in the NICU and Pediatric ER.
In their free time, Olivia loves biking, cooking, and runs their own small pet care business. They love spending quality time walking dogs locally and are excited to spend time with their partner's dog, Posie, while living in the Bay!
Olivia works off-site providing music therapy groups at Sutter Mills Peninsula Health Center (Adolescent Psychiatric Unit) in San Mateo, CA. Olivia is currently receiving training and supervision in Therapeutic Beat-Making (TBM) with Dr. Elliot Gann, executive director of Today's Future Sound.
MT-BC #18409 (National)
Licensed & Registered Art Therapist
Grace Colangelo (she/her) has a B.A. in Painting and Art History from Marlboro College in Vermont and an M.A. in Expressive Therapies from Lesley University in Cambridge, MA. Under the supervision of Art Robbins, Grace earned her ATR credentials. She has extensive experience working with children, adolescents and adults across various settings including: adults living with AIDS, hospice and bereavement care for both children and adults, and inpatient and outpatient mental and behavioral health for all ages.
Grace’s approach to art therapy is eclectic and inter-modal, trauma-informed and humanistic, employing DBT, and ACT techniques and fostering an environment where clients find the courage to face their challenges and the strength to embrace their personal growth. Her practice focuses on healing through creativity and expression, emphasizing individual strengths and personal narratives.
In addition to her clinical training, Colangelo integrates her experience as a yoga practitioner, meditator, and Reiki practitioner into her therapeutic work, addressing emotional and psychological challenges like anxiety, depression, trauma recovery, and life transitions.
Outside of her clinical work, Colangelo is an avid outdoor enthusiast who enjoys hiking, running, backpacking, and observing nature, which informs and enriches her approach to her art and therapy work.
Grace works as an on-call Art Therapist facilitating art therapy groups at Sutter Mills Peninsula Medical Center (Adolescent Psychiatric Unit) in San Mateo, CA.
ATR #96-176 (National)
Please contact us with any questions or to schedule a free consultation.
55 Santa Clara Ave Suite 220, Oakland, CA 94610
(510) 675-7070 Fax: (510) 902-7640 Tonia@EastBayArtTherapy.com Link to Client Portal: https://eastbayarttherapy.clientsecure.me (For Existing Clients Only)
Please Note: In the state of California, The Creative Arts Therapies are considered Allied Health Professions, not a form of Psychotherapy and are not governed by the CA Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS). Some of our therapists are dually credentialed with the CA BBS.