Jaime Battistella Williams, PhD in Psychology ’19, MS in Psychology ’14, has spent most of her adult life balancing competing priorities.

After earning her bachelor’s degree in psychology, she wanted to keep going in the field. But she also had two young daughters, and stability mattered. She needed a plan that could support her family now, while still keeping psychology in her future. “I needed to figure out a way for psychology to work while taking care of my family and my daughters,” Williams says.

So she took what she describes as the alternate route into education in New Jersey and became a teacher. The work gave her stability, and it kept her close to what she cared about. Over time, she even found ways to weave psychology into what she taught.

But the bigger goal never went away. Even with a full career and a full life, her interest in becoming a mental health professional was a constant.

A Practical Crossroads

For Williams, graduate school was not about adding letters behind her name. It was about building a path that could hold everything at once: family responsibilities, professional stability, and a long-running interest in psychology.

“In my heart and in my mind I knew that I wanted to use […] my passion for psychology and science and research to help other people,” she says.

The Spark That Became a Direction

When her daughters were little, her family got their first horse. Then they adopted a second and a third horse. It was part of family life, but for Williams, it sparked a different kind of interest.

“I started noticing how the psychology of humans and the psychology of horses are very similar,” she says. “And I started noticing how I felt being in the presence of horses and how it helped my mental health.”

Curious, she began reading the research on how horses support people. What she found felt encouraging but insufficient. There was strong research in areas like autism spectrum disorder and other diagnoses, but far less that spoke directly to mental health and the broader role horses can play in well-being. This was a research gap she wanted to fill.

How Walden Helped Her Keep Moving Forward

Williams says she found Walden online, and what stood out right away was the mission.

“I really aligned with Walden’s  mission,” she says. “It wasn’t just about a degree, it was about what positive  change do you want to make for yourself, your community, society, with your education, with this degree.”

She enrolled in her master’s in psychology at Walden with a clear purpose: strengthen her foundation in psychology and research and move closer to work that could make a difference in people’s lives.

Just as important, she says, Walden supported her as she navigated her full schedule.

“Walden was wonderful,” Williams says. She remembers being told, “You have all these credits, you’ve done all these research studies. You’re a great student,” and that the support she received helped her stay on track and keep moving toward what was next.

A Necessary Credential

With her Walden master’s completed, Williams started mapping out her next steps toward a career in counseling.

She explains that in her home state of New Jersey, you cannot simply register to take the National Counselor Examination (NCE), one of the requirements for pursuing licensure in that state. Your transcripts must be reviewed first to ensure that your education prepares you to take exam. “My education at Walden got me that approval,” she says, “and I was able to take the national counselor’s exam.”

Not long after that, Walden reached out with continued education opportunities for alumni. Williams took a closer look at what Walden could offer returning students and decided to keep going—this time through doctoral study.

Coming Back to Go Deeper

“You know what, I really, I want to do this,” she says.

She chose the general psychology track so she could focus on research and her dissertation, building the tools to explore her passion more deeply. “I was able to do so many different research studies with all the different ways that horses help humans, whether it was in prisons, schools, nursing homes, mental health, [and] addiction. And I was really excited to do that,” she says.

Real-World Impact

After completing her PhD in Psychology, Williams moved through the next steps of the licensure process in New Jersey. She began clinical work, enrolled for required supervision hours, and continued building toward independent practice.

During this time, she also launched an educational program—Hit the Stars—as a way to begin serving others. After earning her independent license, she transitioned that work into a counseling practice.

Today, she offers telehealth and in-person counseling, and clients can choose to also interact with one of her three rescue horses during sessions. For Williams, the work is where her purpose shows up clearly: applying what she learned to support people in practical, lasting ways.

“I would not be able to have the freedom or opportunities to combine both my passions,” she says. “Without my degrees from Walden, it wouldn’t be possible.”

Your Next Step Starts Here

Williams’ path is uniquely hers, but the takeaway is the same for every Walden student: You can build a future that moves you toward the work you want to do.

If you are ready to turn your interests into purpose-driven work, Walden can help you take the next step, with online programs designed for working adults who want to create real change in their careers, their communities, and beyond.