About the Book
About the Author
Alejandra Acuña is a mother, proud Chicana, speaker, therapist, and retired tenured professor of social work with a lifelong dedication to healing, resilience, and personal growth. With extensive experience in academia, research, and direct practice, she has worked in nonprofit community-based organizations, child protective services, children’s hospitals, county agencies, and public-school districts. She has taught at CSUN, UCLA, and CSULA, earning local and national awards for her commitment to student mentorship and education.
Dr. Acuña’s research and clinical work focus on stress, trauma, family communication, and resilience, particularly among adolescents and marginalized communities. She is the creator of Promotores de Bienestar Mental, a bilingual (Spanish/English) YouTube channel that makes mental health topics accessible to Spanish-speaking audiences and was the founder of Minority Male Mentoring (M3), a multidisciplinary initiative supporting men of color in higher education.
Through her writing, workshops, and private practice, Dr. Acuña inspires others to move beyond fear and self-doubt, embrace their full potential, and build lives rooted in purpose, connection, and joy. Her debut book, Stones, Flowers, and Lessons Learned, invites readers on a transformative journey of self-discovery, weaving personal storytelling, ancestral wisdom, and practical tools to light the way forward.
Based in Mount Washington, Los Angeles, Dra. Acuña continues to support individuals and organizations in fostering well-being, leadership, and transformation. When she’s not writing, she’s traveling across Mexico, savoring naps and nonfiction books, practicing hot yoga,
Pilates, or dance, and learning the art of cooking.
Story Behind the Book
This book is the fulfillment of a childhood dream. I have wanted to be a writer since sixth grade at Rowan Avenue Elementary School in East LA, where my teacher, Mr. Prucha, encouraged my writing. But as the daughter of Mexican immigrants, I feared that following my heart’s desire would turn me into a starving artist. Instead, I built a career in public service—meaningful, fulfilling work that allowed me to contribute to students, families, and communities while ensuring financial stability.
Now, in semi-retirement (thank you, pensions, and thank you, Yesus), I finally have the space, time, and energy to do what I have always known I came here to do: write.
This book is my New Fire Ceremony. In the Mexica (Aztec) tradition, turning 52 marks a profound transition, the completion of four 13-year cycles—a full century in their calendar. It is a time to reflect on lessons learned and light a new fire for the path ahead. Stones, Flowers, and Lessons Learned is my way of honoring that tradition, weaving together my past experiences—each stone and flower shaping my journey—and offering them as my gratitude gift to the next generation.
I have stories to tell, and in the telling, I heal. My hope is that these stories help you heal, too. If they resonate with yours, may we both find comfort in knowing we are not alone in our thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Storytelling is medicine—it illuminates, connects, makes us smile, and inspires.
In these pages, I weave together stone and flower moments—times of struggle and moments of beauty, each carrying its own lesson. I share reflections on emotional distress, heartbreak, healing, wholeness, joy, and love. I also offer the wisdom that has shaped my journey—science, ancient teachings, and practical tools—the foundation of my healing, growth, and the creation of a life I once only dreamed of.
Books and journals have always been my companions. My mother used to say, “Books are your real mother,” because I was constantly reading, learning, and being guided by them. Over the years, I have filled stacks of journals—sacred spaces for my thoughts, wish lists, questions, hopes, and dreams. They helped me process life and reflect on my journey.
To me, healing is not just about identifying problems or reducing symptoms. It’s about setting goals inspired by the desires of your heart—whether for well-being, social justice, or abundance. Growth is fueled by the “juicy” emotions—excitement, optimism, and electric hope—that energize us to move forward.
Do you have a dream or goal that feels just out of reach? I often tell my friends, “God doesn’t put a desire in your heart to mock you.” I believe those desires are glimpses of what’s possible - visions of your future if you trust and take action. Even if fear, doubt, or worry make you hesitate, those feelings can be addressed. You can bloom. It’s okay to believe. In nature, blooming means yielding flowers. In life, blooming means clearing energy blocks, addressing fears, and taking consistent steps toward your dreams. With new dreams come new strategies. Step by step, guided by joy and the pull of your heart’s deepest desires, may you move closer to a life in full bloom.
Let’s begin this journey together.