Meet the Equine Assisted Programs Team

Brittany Cervino, MHC/ CASAC-T

Brittany has volunteered for the therapy committee at LOHR since the summer of 2021. Brittany has a bachelor's degree from St. Joseph's College in Criminal Justice/ Juvenile Law, with minors in Sociology and Psychology. Shortly after graduating and waiting for the NYPD academy, she decided to take her first master's at St. John's University for Criminological Theory and Research, where she was hoping to take her research and intel skills to the department. 

Brittany's dream was to be in uniform and help the communities in need. While in the process for 2.5 years, a dear family friend, P.O Richard Catapano Jr. of the 73rd precinct, died by suicide in August 2020. From then on, Brittany felt she could be a voice to help end the stigma of suicide for our first responders and veterans. After a lot of thought, Brittany declined her Police Officer position and started to dedicate her time to her personal training business and diving headfirst into the mental health world. Brittany is now enrolled in Adelphi University's Mental Health Counseling Program to get her LMHC. 

Her 5 Year plan is to work for LOHR, helping first responders, those who suffer from substance abuse, and those who endured trauma. She would also like to have a practice of her own that will provide affordable mental health counseling to our first responders, veterans, and at-risk youth. 

Deanna Hearn

A well-established member of the local professional equine community, Deanna started out as an exercise rider for various farms from Westchester to Columbia Counties. Next came barn management, eventually transitioning to business-owner of Equine Escape Stable. Within a few years of opening Equine Escape, Deanna began to recognize a disturbing trend within the community. She was receiving a growing number of inquiries regarding unwanted horses and how to report abuse and neglect. This problem was only exacerbated by requests from the DCSPCA to foster seized horses which had begun to outnumber available spaces at their own facilities. Determined to be part of the solution, Deanna established Lucky Orphans Horse Rescue to offer permanent sanctuary to these otherwise unwanted, abused, or neglected animals, and provide them with a safe haven where they would never again experience the situations that led them to LOHR in the first place.

Willow Diana

Willow Diana is a member of the Lucky Orphans Rescue Therapy Committee. She has completed and is certified with Natural Lifemanship CORE Training Level 1.

Willow’s training:

  • Learned the Trust Technique, recognizing the importance of the animal-human relationship in both personal and sociological change.

  • Completed and received her Harmony Horse Handling Horsemanship certification.

  • Completed training in safeTALK Suicide alertness.

  • Completed the Foundations of Equine Experiential Facilitation Through E3A.

Willow is an Ordained Minister & Spiritual Consultant. Ordained in the Sanctuary of the Beloved in the Order of Melchizedek, and the Universal Life Church.

Willow is also a Reiki Master, Crystal & Sound healing Practitioner, Ceremonialist, Herbalist and Equine Assisted Healing Practitioner. She is also Mental Health First Aid Trained.

She has been offering energetic Reiki Healing to the horses and humans on the farm along with Sound healing, Drumming, and Aromatherapy. She is facilitating Spiritual Ceremonies, Shamanic journey work/meditation, Cacao Ceremony, and Fire Ceremony, just to name a few.

The reciprocity is strong with the herd feeling blessed and healed when I leave. Who is healing who ? I am thankful to be part of LOHR and to share the magic and healing of the horses. ~Willow

Danielle Molella

Danielle was born and raised in the beautiful Hudson Valley. After almost twenty years living away from her hometown, she came back to her roots, and is finally doing what she loves!   

Danielle attended both Syracuse University in upstate New York and Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston, MA, where she earned a degree in Industrial Design. When she was 26 years old, she ventured out to the Pacific Northwest.  

In 2004, while living in Seattle, Danielle decided to get professional training in something that felt very natural to her, helping people heal. She continued to work full-time as a designer while she went to school at night and on the weekends to become a Licensed Massage Practitioner and Professional Bowenwork Practitioner.  The West coast is a wonderful place to explore alternative health. Danielle is grateful to have received her training out West and very excited to be able to share her knowledge and healing here in the Hudson Valley.

Since moving back, Danielle has expanded her knowledge of the body by taking advanced training classes in Applied Myoskeletal Therapy, the ARC Method and is certified in the Zone Technique.

Danielle practices Bowen Therapy in her private office in Millbrook, NY. She is passionate about helping humans on their journey to optimal physical and emotional health. In 2019, Deanna asked her if she could help one of her horses with Bowen Therapy. Deanna had just read an article about Equine Bowen Therapy; it is well-known in Australia.

Danielle has been volunteering her time at the farm ever since and loves the connections she has made here. Horses are sensitive and emotionally evolved creatures. Danielle finds it incredibly rewarding to help both humans and horses.