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Desiree Speaks is a dynamic speaker, trainer, coach, and mentor who creates spaces for honest conversation and real growth. With decades of experience in leadership, mental wellness, and community impact, Desiree brings a grounded, compassionate, and practical approach to every engagement.
Her work is rooted in real-life experience and professional expertise, addressing mental health, leadership, trauma, purpose, and personal growth. She helps individuals and organizations move from awareness to action by challenging limiting beliefs and offering tools that are relatable and immediately applicable.
Through her Root Cause framework, Desiree goes beyond surface-level solutions to address the emotional and behavioral patterns that lead to burnout, disconnection, and stagnation. Her mission is simple: to help people feel seen, heard, and empowered to grow—personally, professionally, and emotionally—creating lasting impact and meaningful change.
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Desiree Jones is the founder of Step-By-Step Behavioral Health Services and the Step-By-Step 4 Help Foundation, organizations rooted in the belief that mental wellness should be accessible, valued, and prioritized. Her work is deeply personal, shaped by lived experience, professional service, and a genuine commitment to hope and healing.
A Licensed Mental Health Counselor, entrepreneur, and community leader, Desiree has dedicated her career to supporting individuals, families, and communities through life’s most complex challenges. As a mother of three, her leadership is grounded in empathy, resilience, and purpose. She believes real change begins when people feel seen, heard, and supported.
Desiree has built systems of care focused on mental wellness, trauma, prevention, and long-term support. Her work emphasizes emotional awareness, accountability, and connection, creating pathways for healing and growth.
Her impact has been widely recognized, including honors as a 2022 Woman of Influence, 2023 Small Business Leader of the Year, a Leadership Jacksonville graduate, and service as a City Commissioner on the Task Force on Safety and Crime Reduction.