{"id":18070,"date":"2025-04-14T10:51:31","date_gmt":"2025-04-14T14:51:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/?p=18070"},"modified":"2025-08-28T15:59:57","modified_gmt":"2025-08-28T19:59:57","slug":"wade-girard-jones-offering-alternatives-to-improve-mental-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/2025\/04\/14\/wade-girard-jones-offering-alternatives-to-improve-mental-health\/","title":{"rendered":"Wade Girard Jones: Offering Alternatives to Improve Mental Health"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>.kadence-column18070_36393a-a4 > .kt-inside-inner-col{padding-right:var(--global-kb-spacing-lg, 3rem);padding-bottom:var(--global-kb-spacing-lg, 3rem);padding-left:var(--global-kb-spacing-lg, 3rem);}.kadence-column18070_36393a-a4 > .kt-inside-inner-col,.kadence-column18070_36393a-a4 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;}.kadence-column18070_36393a-a4 > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-sm, 1rem);}.kadence-column18070_36393a-a4 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;}.kadence-column18070_36393a-a4 > .kt-inside-inner-col > .aligncenter{width:100%;}.kadence-column18070_36393a-a4 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column18070_36393a-a4{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column18070_36393a-a4 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 991px){.kadence-column18070_36393a-a4 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column18070_36393a-a4 dynamic-main-col\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\">\n<p>When <strong>Wade Girard Jones<\/strong> played football for Seaford High School, he gained valuable insight into effective teamwork. The co-captain also realized he was good with people. But after graduation, Jones stumbled. Not only did he lack a career path, but he landed on the wrong side of the law.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jones put his prison time to good use. \u201cIt gave me a chance at a young age to reevaluate my life and realize there had to be a better way,\u201d he recalls. What\u2019s more, he uses his experience to benefit others. The WilmU alumnus is the executive director of Alternative Solutions Consulting Group (ASCG) in Millsboro, Delaware.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The practice offers mental health and substance abuse services and training. ASCG also provides management consulting in child and family counseling, substance abuse, HIV\/AIDS, and prison reentry case management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Earning licenses as a mental health counselor, chemical dependency professional, and certifications as an advanced alcohol and drug counselor and clinical supervisor is no small accomplishment. But Jones had encouragement from professors every step of the way. He was 31 when he enrolled at Delaware Technical Community College (DTCC) to study criminal justice. A DTCC dean told him to pursue a bachelor\u2019s degree. \u201cYou can\u2019t stop here,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, Jones continued his education at WilmU when it was still Wilmington College. In 2006, he graduated with a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wilmu.edu\/behavioralscience\/behavioral-science-curriculum.aspx\">B.S. in Behavioral Science<\/a>. The University provided a welcoming, unintimidating environment for an adult student, says Jones, who worked two jobs while in school.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once again, his instructors urged him to press forward. \u201cI was scared to death,\u201d he says of pursuing a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wilmu.edu\/behavioralscience\/mscc.aspx\">master of science in Clinical Mental Health Counseling<\/a> at WilmU. Before smartphones became prevalent, he took a thesaurus and a dictionary to every class.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>His teachers put him at ease. \u201cI had great instructors,\u201d he says. \u201cThey actually taught; they didn\u2019t just regurgitate information.\u201d He learned to listen and find key clues in a client\u2019s conversation. Too often, novice counselors have a lot of knowledge but don\u2019t practice good listening skills, he notes.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While learning to help others, Jones gained insight into himself. Looking back, he says the classes validated how he seeks to operate on a personal, professional, and ethical level, regardless of whether he is writing a paper or speaking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignwide wu-blockquote-row is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-ad2f72ca wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote wu-blockquote-simple is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>That is the greatest gift that Wilmington University gives many of us \u2014 the opportunity to change our perspective on where we want to go in life.<\/p>\n<cite>\u2014 Wade Girard Jones<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>In addition to receiving his master\u2019s degree from WilmU, he has a post-master\u2019s certificate in Child and Family Counseling and Mental Health. Jones is working toward a doctorate and teaches at Delaware State University, using the same approach his WilmU instructors practiced.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The name Alternative Services is poetic, he says. Growing up in Seaford, he did not encounter licensed professional counselors of color. \u201cIt was just that simple: There was nobody that looked like me providing the services that I provide today,\u201d he says.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Raised by a single mother, Jones is the former statewide coordinator of Delaware Fatherhood and Family Coalition, an advocacy coalition that encourages fathers to be involved with their children. Jones never knew his father.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>He says more people of color have entered the mental health field, partly thanks to WilmU\u2019s flexible curriculum. People can work and tend to their families while still pursuing a degree. However, he adds that few people of color are in private practice in Sussex County.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Along with seeing private clients, Jones offers corporate employment assistance services and strategies that help federal, state, and local agencies manage mental health programs with measurable outcomes. ASCG also works with agencies supporting at-risk individuals and families to prevent service gaps.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In his spare time, Jones hits the gym, plays basketball, and hopes to restart the flag football league that stopped during the pandemic. In the past, he coached sports at his old high school. \u201cKids are the greatest,\u201d he says. \u201cThey keep you honest, and you can always spot a good person because young people gravitate toward them.\u201d The once troubled teen wants youth to know \u201cthere\u2019s always hope.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During a speaking engagement,&nbsp; Jones asked his audience if one\u2019s truth could change. Some nodded, while others looked puzzled. \u201cWilmington University gave me the opportunity to look at life, situations, and scenarios differently,\u201d he says. \u201cSo, yes, my truth changed because my perception of reality changed. That is the greatest gift that Wilmington University gives many of us \u2014 the opportunity to change our perspective on where we want to go in life.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Jones is glad he listened to his mentors\u2019 advice and pursued his degrees at WilmU. \u201cI love what I do, and I impact people on a daily basis,\u201d he says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p> <em>\u2014 Pam George<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<style>.kb-row-layout-wrap.wp-block-kadence-rowlayout.kb-row-layout-id18046_b8b324-45{margin-top:0em;}.kb-row-layout-id18046_b8b324-45 > .kt-row-column-wrap{align-content:center;}:where(.kb-row-layout-id18046_b8b324-45 > .kt-row-column-wrap) > .wp-block-kadence-column{justify-content:center;}.kb-row-layout-id18046_b8b324-45 > .kt-row-column-wrap{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-none, 0rem );row-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-none, 0rem );max-width:var( --global-content-width, 1290px );padding-left:var(--global-content-edge-padding);padding-right:var(--global-content-edge-padding);padding-top:0em;padding-right:0em;padding-bottom:0em;padding-left:0em;grid-template-columns:minmax(0, 1fr) minmax(0, 2fr);}.kb-row-layout-id18046_b8b324-45{border-top:1px solid #eeeeee;border-right:1px solid #eeeeee;border-bottom:1px solid #eeeeee;}.kb-row-layout-id18046_b8b324-45 > .kt-row-layout-overlay{opacity:0.30;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kb-row-layout-id18046_b8b324-45 > .kt-row-column-wrap{grid-template-columns:minmax(0, 1fr) minmax(0, 2fr);}}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kb-row-layout-id18046_b8b324-45{border-top:1px solid #eeeeee;border-right:1px solid #eeeeee;border-bottom:1px solid #eeeeee;}}@media all and (max-width: 991px){.kb-row-layout-id18046_b8b324-45 > .kt-row-column-wrap{grid-template-columns:minmax(0, 1fr);}.kb-row-layout-id18046_b8b324-45{border-top:1px solid #eeeeee;border-right:1px solid #eeeeee;border-bottom:1px solid #eeeeee;}}.wu-text-col,.wu-img-col {\tmin-height: 114px;}.wu-text-col &gt; div,.wu-img-col &gt; div {\tflex: 1;}<\/style><div class=\"kb-row-layout-wrap kb-row-layout-id18046_b8b324-45 alignnone FULL wp-block-kadence-rowlayout\"><div class=\"kt-row-column-wrap kt-has-2-columns kt-row-layout-right-golden kt-tab-layout-inherit kt-mobile-layout-row kt-row-valign-middle kb-theme-content-width\">\n<style>.kadence-column18046_74cd32-05 > .kt-inside-inner-col{display:flex;}.kadence-column18046_74cd32-05 > .kt-inside-inner-col,.kadence-column18046_74cd32-05 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;}.kadence-column18046_74cd32-05 > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-none, 0rem );}.kadence-column18046_74cd32-05 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:row;flex-wrap:wrap;align-items:center;justify-content:center;}.kadence-column18046_74cd32-05 > .kt-inside-inner-col > *, .kadence-column18046_74cd32-05 > .kt-inside-inner-col > figure.wp-block-image, .kadence-column18046_74cd32-05 > .kt-inside-inner-col > figure.wp-block-kadence-image{margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;}.kadence-column18046_74cd32-05 > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image-is-ratio-size{flex-grow:1;}.kadence-column18046_74cd32-05 > .kt-inside-inner-col{background-color:var(--global-palette9, #ffffff);}.kadence-column18046_74cd32-05 > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column18046_74cd32-05{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column18046_74cd32-05 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:row;flex-wrap:wrap;align-items:center;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column18046_74cd32-05 > .kt-inside-inner-col > *, .kadence-column18046_74cd32-05 > .kt-inside-inner-col > figure.wp-block-image, .kadence-column18046_74cd32-05 > .kt-inside-inner-col > figure.wp-block-kadence-image{margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;}.kadence-column18046_74cd32-05 > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image-is-ratio-size{flex-grow:1;}}@media all and (max-width: 991px){.kadence-column18046_74cd32-05 > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:row;flex-wrap:wrap;justify-content:flex-start;justify-content:center;}.kadence-column18046_74cd32-05 > .kt-inside-inner-col > *, .kadence-column18046_74cd32-05 > .kt-inside-inner-col > figure.wp-block-image, .kadence-column18046_74cd32-05 > .kt-inside-inner-col > figure.wp-block-kadence-image{margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;}.kadence-column18046_74cd32-05 > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image-is-ratio-size{flex-grow:1;}}.kadence-column18046_74cd32-05 figure.image-is-svg {-webkit-margin-after: 1em;  margin-block-end: 1em;}img[src$=\".svg\"] {  max-width: 220px;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column18046_74cd32-05 kb-section-dir-horizontal wu-img-col\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\"><style>.kb-image18046_ccb11d-1f:not(.kb-image-is-ratio-size) .kb-img, .kb-image18046_ccb11d-1f.kb-image-is-ratio-size{padding-top:0px;padding-right:0px;padding-bottom:0px;padding-left:0px;}.kb-image18046_ccb11d-1f .kb-image-has-overlay:after{opacity:0.3;}<\/style>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-kadence-image kb-image18046_ccb11d-1f image-is-svg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"230\" height=\"120\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/wilmu-cta-logo-wu.svg\" alt=\"Wilm U post footer logo\" class=\"kb-img wp-image-17727\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<style>.kadence-column18046_24d7f6-da > .kt-inside-inner-col{display:flex;}.kadence-column18046_24d7f6-da > .kt-inside-inner-col{padding-right:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);padding-left:var(--global-kb-spacing-sm, 1.5rem);}.kadence-column18046_24d7f6-da > .kt-inside-inner-col{column-gap:var(--global-kb-gap-sm, 1rem);}.kadence-column18046_24d7f6-da > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;align-items:stretch;}.kadence-column18046_24d7f6-da > .kt-inside-inner-col > .kb-image-is-ratio-size{align-self:stretch;}.kadence-column18046_24d7f6-da > .kt-inside-inner-col > .wp-block-kadence-advancedgallery{align-self:stretch;}.kadence-column18046_24d7f6-da > .kt-inside-inner-col > .aligncenter{width:100%;}.kt-row-column-wrap > .kadence-column18046_24d7f6-da{align-self:center;}.kt-inner-column-height-full:not(.kt-has-1-columns) > .wp-block-kadence-column.kadence-column18046_24d7f6-da{align-self:auto;}.kt-inner-column-height-full:not(.kt-has-1-columns) > .wp-block-kadence-column.kadence-column18046_24d7f6-da > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}.kadence-column18046_24d7f6-da > .kt-inside-inner-col{background-color:#eeeeee;}.kadence-column18046_24d7f6-da > .kt-inside-inner-col:before{opacity:0.3;}.kadence-column18046_24d7f6-da{position:relative;}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kt-row-column-wrap > .kadence-column18046_24d7f6-da{align-self:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kt-inner-column-height-full:not(.kt-has-1-columns) > .wp-block-kadence-column.kadence-column18046_24d7f6-da{align-self:auto;}}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kt-inner-column-height-full:not(.kt-has-1-columns) > .wp-block-kadence-column.kadence-column18046_24d7f6-da > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}}@media all and (max-width: 1024px){.kadence-column18046_24d7f6-da > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;align-items:stretch;}}@media all and (max-width: 991px){.kt-row-column-wrap > .kadence-column18046_24d7f6-da{align-self:center;}.kt-inner-column-height-full:not(.kt-has-1-columns) > .wp-block-kadence-column.kadence-column18046_24d7f6-da{align-self:auto;}.kt-inner-column-height-full:not(.kt-has-1-columns) > .wp-block-kadence-column.kadence-column18046_24d7f6-da > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;}.kadence-column18046_24d7f6-da > .kt-inside-inner-col{flex-direction:column;justify-content:center;align-items:stretch;}}.kt-row-column-wrap &gt; .wp-block-kadence-column {align-self: stretch;}.kadence-column18046_24d7f6-da &gt; div {  padding-block: 1em;}.kadence-column18046_24d7f6-da p:last-of-type {  -webkit-margin-after: 0;  margin-block-end: 0;}<\/style>\n<div class=\"wp-block-kadence-column kadence-column18046_24d7f6-da kb-section-dir-vertical wu-text-col\"><div class=\"kt-inside-inner-col\">\n<p class=\"NoMargin\" style=\"font-size:1rem\"><em>Want to read more in-depth stories? Explore our latest <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/category\/magazine\/\">magazine articles<\/a>. <\/em><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n<\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When Wade Girard Jones played football for Seaford High School, he gained valuable insight into effective teamwork. The co-captain also realized he was good with&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":18073,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_kad_blocks_custom_css":"","_kad_blocks_head_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_body_custom_js":"","_kad_blocks_footer_custom_js":"","_kad_post_transparent":"","_kad_post_title":"","_kad_post_layout":"","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[135],"tags":[179,826,90,950,916,14,15],"class_list":["post-18070","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-magazine","tag-alumni","tag-b-s-in-behavioral-science","tag-college-of-social-and-behavioral-sciences","tag-m-s-in-clinical-mental-health-counseling","tag-magazine-spring-2025","tag-wilmington-university","tag-wilmu"],"acf":[],"taxonomy_info":{"category":[{"value":135,"label":"MAGAZINE"}],"post_tag":[{"value":179,"label":"Alumni"},{"value":826,"label":"B.S. in Behavioral Science"},{"value":90,"label":"College of Social and Behavioral Sciences"},{"value":950,"label":"M.S. in clinical mental health counseling"},{"value":916,"label":"Magazine Spring 2025"},{"value":14,"label":"Wilmington University"},{"value":15,"label":"WilmU"}]},"featured_image_src_large":["https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/Wade-Girard-Jones-1-480x480.jpg",480,480,true],"author_info":{"display_name":"Mckayla Imperatrice","author_link":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/author\/mckayla\/"},"comment_info":0,"category_info":[{"term_id":135,"name":"MAGAZINE","slug":"magazine","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":692,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":0,"count":431,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":135,"category_count":431,"category_description":"","cat_name":"MAGAZINE","category_nicename":"magazine","category_parent":0}],"tag_info":[{"term_id":179,"name":"Alumni","slug":"alumni","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":736,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":21,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":826,"name":"B.S. in Behavioral Science","slug":"b-s-in-behavioral-science","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":1383,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":4,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":90,"name":"College of Social and Behavioral Sciences","slug":"college-of-social-and-behavioral-sciences","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":647,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":71,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":950,"name":"M.S. in clinical mental health counseling","slug":"m-s-in-clinical-mental-health-counseling","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":1507,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":1,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":916,"name":"Magazine Spring 2025","slug":"magazine-spring-2025","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":1473,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":22,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":14,"name":"Wilmington University","slug":"wilmington-university","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":571,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":357,"filter":"raw"},{"term_id":15,"name":"WilmU","slug":"wilmu","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":572,"taxonomy":"post_tag","description":"","parent":0,"count":291,"filter":"raw"}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18070","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18070"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18070\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18117,"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18070\/revisions\/18117"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18073"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18070"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18070"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.wilmu.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18070"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}