Susan Lieu’s story is anything but ordinary. She’s the daughter of Vietnamese refugees, a truth-seeker, and the author of The Manicurist’s Daughter, a memoir about family, loss, and the impossible beauty standards. In this episode, Susan opens up about losing her mother to a botched surgery at age 11, uncovering the secrets no one wanted to talk about, and how she found strength in the messiness of grief and resilience. It’s raw, authentic, and a conversation you don’t want to miss.
Find Susan Lieu:
🌟 Get the book: https://www.susanlieu.me/the-manicurists-daughter
🌟 Watch the one-woman show: https://susanlieu.vhx.tv/products/140-lbs-how-beauty-killed-my-mother
Find Heather and Jake’s Help from Heaven:
❤️ APOY Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aplaceofyespodcast/
❤️ Heather’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathersstraughter/
❤️ Jake’s Help from Heaven: https://jakeshelpfromheaven.org/
❤️ Jake’s Help from Heaven IG: https://www.instagram.com/jakeshelp/
❤️ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jakeshelpfromheaven
❤️ Our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@APlaceofYesPodcast
Listen on Apple Podcasts | Spotify | iHeartRadio
FIND HEATHER & JAKE’S HELP FROM HEAVEN ⬇️
❤️ Heather’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heathersstraughter/
❤️ Jake’s Help from Heaven: https://jakeshelpfromheaven.org/
❤️ Jake’s Help from Heaven IG: https://www.instagram.com/jakeshelp/
❤️ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jakeshelpfromheaven
❤️ Our YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@APlaceofYesPodcast
Connect with us on social media:
• Heather’s Instagram
• Jake’s Help from Heaven
• Jake’s Help from Heaven IG
• Facebook
• Our YouTube Channel
Keep scrolling for the episode transcript.
Checkout our other episodes
True Crime Survivors Kara & Kim Talk Grief & Trauma
True Crime Survivors discuss harmful clichés, toxic positivity, and the fear of raising children while carrying the weight of their trauma.
When Grief Feels Never Ending | Steph Hogan on Losing her Father
The realities of anticipatory grief and cumulative grief can feel unbearable. Steph Hogan’s story is a reminder that grief has no hierarchy.
Facing Mortality Before Adulthood Gabe Donovan’s Battle with NF1
Born with NF1, a rare and complex genetic disorder, Gabe Donovan had to face his own mortality at an early age.



