My name is Susan. I used to be an associate lecturer and tutor in the universities in Hong Kong, and a private family and couple therapist. I am also a single parent and the financial support for my only daughter.

I am reaching out for help as I work to return to the United States and rebuild my life. I grew up in San Francisco, and my daughter is the third generation of Americans. However, she grew up in Hong Kong because I married a man in Hong Kong.

Over the past year, I faced significant challenges—first in Chicago when we landed in September 2024, where I was confined by my only daughter in the apartment. I struggled to live with limited funding and emotional distress due to confinement in the apartment for 6 months without going out much, making it difficult to apply for professional standing or seek employment when I was in Chicago.

Despite these hardships, I continued my professional development, completing the required CPD online training for my UKCP and BACP accreditation in the United Kingdom, which I could not do while my daughter was in university because of low funding.

When the situation with my daughter escalated, I had to leave the apartment sooner than expected.

Wanting to care for my father, as always my wish, I traveled to Hong Kong at the end of July 2025. Unfortunately, my time there has been marked by financial abuse and verbal assault from my father.

I did my best to support him, such as cleaning up the whole apartment, buying groceries, writing a clinical report, and ensuring he received the psychiatric care he needed. After his release from the hospital, I was told to pack my belongings and my daughter's things, and to decide what to do with my late mother's ashes—all within five days. Now, I am staying in a hotel in Hong Kong with literally no resources and no clear path home. I cannot even afford my next day's hotel stay and food.

The funds raised will help cover my hotel stays in Hong Kong, my travel back to the U.S., and the costs of temporary housing and job applications as I work to start my career as a family therapist. I am grateful for any kindness and support you can offer during this difficult time. Your help will make it possible for me to return home, find stability, and begin helping others as a family therapist.