Private Practice Therapists

Practice Owner / Founder

Licensed & Board-Certified Art Therapist

Art Therapy Certified Supervisor

NOT ACCEPTING NEW CLIENTS AT THIS TIME

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 nine years of clinical experience and specializes in working with adolescent boys who have been conditioned to suppress their emotions and therefore have turned to unhealthy coping mechanisms such as using substances. She helps them to access, express and process emotions and trauma as well as find healthy and creative ways to cope without the use of substances. 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.

Tonia's 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 when her clients may be 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, inpatient psychiatric hospitals, and K-12 public schools. 

Tonia founded East Bay Art Therapy in March of 2019. As a business owner, therapist, supervisor, educator and artist, Tonia is actively working towards social justice-oriented, liberatory and decolonial practices.

In her free time, Tonia enjoys making colorful abstract art using a variety of 2D media. She is passionate about expressing her creativity through fashion; making jewelry, dyeing and screen printing clothes, and doing hair, makeup and nail art. You can also find her practicing yoga, dancing to hip-hop, playing tennis, and cuddling with her beloved dogs, a Dalmatian and Rottweiler.

Tonia is not accepting new clients at this time. She also works off-site providing services at OUSD and facilitates trainings, professional development, and workplace wellness 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, a Licensed Certified Art Therapist (LCAT) in the state of Oregon and has over a decade of clinical experience. 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 their work with young children. A significant portion of Lauren’s clinical work (7 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 ATR supervision. They have also provided services for SCCOE, Human Good, ESUHSD, OUSD, The City of Oakland, and currently facilitate groups for Satellite Affordable Housing Associates (SAHA) throughout the East Bay.

ATR-BC #13-264 (National)

LCAT #001665 (New York)

LCAT #ART-C-10236427 (Oregon)

Fee: $190 / session

Board-Certified Art Therapist & Intake Coordinator

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 Board-Certified Art Therapist with the Art Therapy Credentials Board.

Megan has worked in the clinical art therapy field for over 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, ADHD, and Mood Disorders. A mother herself, she also passionately supports the needs of birthing and postpartum people. 

Megan is available to see individuals 10 and up at the Oakland office on Monday and Tuesday (or virtually). Megan is available for ATR supervision and works as EBAT's Intake Coordinator.

ATR-BC #22-299 (National)

Fee: $190 / session

Registered Art Therapist / Associate Marriage & Family Therapist

Angelina Nader (she/her) is a Registered 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. When working with couples Angelina integrates art therapy with EFT and The Gottman Method. 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 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 ages 13 and up, couples, and families on weekdays (VIRTUAL ONLY) and facilitates the Virtual Women's Art Therapy Group. Angelina has also provided services for ESUHSD.

ATR # 24-029 (National)

Supervised by Rosina Roibal, LMFT #116474

Fees:

$170 / session (Individual Therapy)

$190 / session (Couples & Family Therapy)

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, Grace 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 Health Center (Adolescent Psychiatric Unit) in San Mateo, CA.

ATR #96-176 (National)

Drama Therapist

张一萌 Yimeng Zhang, known as Clara, is a bilingual (Mandarin and English) Provisionally Registered Drama Therapist. Originally from China, Clara identifies as a cisgender woman and has a strong connection to her Asian cultural roots. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology with a minor in Statistics from UCLA and a Master of Arts in Drama Therapy from NYU. Clara’s passion for drama therapy emerged from her experiences in both theatre and psychology, where she witnessed the profound impact of creative expression on personal healing and community building. As both an actress and a mental health advocate, Clara discovered that combining these worlds through drama therapy offers a powerful path to foster emotional growth and resilience in others.

Clara’s approach to therapy is client-centered and strengths-based, drawing from psychodynamic and embodied drama therapy techniques. She creates a safe, non-judgmental space for clients to explore their emotions through creative practices such as role-playing, improvisation, and storytelling. On her clinical journey so far, Clara has encountered young children and their families, adolescents and young adults,  female groups, mixed-race clients, and elders at nursing homes. Her clinical focus is on issues related to identity, trauma, body image, and emotional regulation. Her clinical work is deeply informed by her intersectionalities, because she believes that "what brings us here takes us home." This belief has deeply fueled her passion for fostering inclusion and understanding through drama therapy.

Outside of her clinical practice, Clara is dedicated to personal growth and community engagement. She is the founding member of many community theatre groups, and works with theatre artists globally. In her free time, Clara enjoys yoga, kickboxing, crafting, and engaging in theatre performances. Oh, and drinking boba!

Clara works off-site facilitating drama therapy groups at Sutter Mills Peninsula Health Center (Adolescent Psychiatric Unit) in San Mateo, CA.

P-RDT #106

Supervised by Krista Verrastro, MA RDT #374, BCT #158