The Oprah Winfrey Show: The Podcast

From October 9, 1998: Motivational speaker and author Gail Blanke discusses her New York Times best-selling book, “In Your Wildest Dreams.” She describes how to find your passion, the importance of defining your own life and why living the life of your dreams is the greatest gift you can give anyone. Gail also coaches audience members on how to design their own dreams.

From September 15, 1998: Life coach and author Dr. Cherie Carter-Scott discusses her #1 New York Times best-seller, If Life Is a Game, These are the Rules. She coaches the audience through what she calls the 10 rules for being human. Dr. Carter-Scott details the importance of the lessons life presents to us, and explains why life will continue to repeat those teachings until they’re learned. Dr. Carter-Scott also talks about why she believes we are in control of our life’s outcome.

From August 5, 1998: Relationship counselor, lecturer and #1 New York Times best-selling author John Gray discusses his book Mars and Venus Starting Over. John, who also wrote Men are From Mars, Women are from Venus, shares why he believes we need to be reeducated on how to have relationships. He explains the differences between men and women, how to create romance and the importance of vulnerability in a relationship. John also answers audience members’ relationship questions.

From April 3, 1998: Oprah talks to people who have survived terrible tragedies. Dr. Paul Stoltz, keynote speaker and #1 New York Times best-selling author of The Adversity Quotient discusses how to turn obstacles into opportunities and how adversity leads to strength. Dr. Stoltz also explains what he calls the “constructive blame zone.” Holocaust survivor, psychologist and author Dr. Edith Eva Eger shares her traumatic experiences at the Auschwitz Birkenau concentration camp and explains how to overcome anything through the power of your mind.

From September 11, 1996: Oprah and Bob Greene, exercise physiologist and personal trainer, discuss their No. 1 New York Times best seller, Make the Connection, a book that outlines 10 steps to change your life, lose weight and keep it off. Oprah shares insights from her own weight loss journey, including how to gain discipline and will power, and why it’s important to care about yourself daily. She also talks to people who have successfully lost weight.

From October 10, 1995: Author and science journalist Dr. Daniel Goleman discusses his New York Times best-selling book, Emotional Intelligence. He explains how to handle our anger, how controlling impulses affect our lives and how we can increase our EQ at any point in our lives. Also, Dr. Martin Seligman—psychologist, educator and author of The Optimistic Child—explains the three aspects of optimism, how optimism increases emotional intelligence, and the correlation between pessimism and depression.

From March 6, 1990: Oprah and Dr. Paul Pearsall, neuropsychologist and author of the New York Times best-seller, The Power of the Family, take the audience through a ‘rituals test’ to assess their family health. Dr. Pearsall discusses why families are failing, the importance of developing the “us” quotient and how just 15 minutes of spending time together as a family unit can make a difference. Dr. Paul Pearsall passed away in 2007.

From October 17, 1988: Do we have the ability to think ourselves well? A panel of doctors and patients debate mind over body cures and share their personal stories of healing through medical and non-medical means. Guests include Dr. Bernie Siegel, pediatric surgeon and author of New York Times #1 Bestseller, Love, Medicine and Miracles; Dr. Sherwin Nuland, author of Doctors: The Biography of Medicine and Orthodox Rabbi Benjamin Blech. Dr. Sherwin Nuland passed away in 2014 from prostate cancer.

From October 15, 2008: Oprah takes her audience through a test to determine if they are rude. Professor at John Hopkins University and author of Choosing Civility: Twenty-Five Rules of Considerate Conduct, P.M. Forni, discusses the principles of respectful people, the difference between being rude and mean and explains why our quality of life depends on the quality of our relationships. Steve Dublanica, author of the New York Times bestseller, Waiter Rant, shares restaurant etiquette that most people don’t know. P.M. Forni passed away in 2018.

From March 12, 1987: Neuropsychologist and New York Times best-selling author of Super Immunity, Dr. Paul Pearsall and Dr. Bernie Siegel, pediatric surgeon and author of New York Times #1 Bestseller, Love, Medicine and Miracles discuss the crucial link between the mind and body and how this can affect the treatment of illnesses. They explain the importance of peace of mind, visualization and why it’s important to like your life. They also share how to talk to your body, the importance of optimism and how to maximize the healer within. Dr. Paul Pearsall passed away in 2007.

From October 12, 1998: Television personality, author and former psychologist Dr. Phil McGraw helps guests dealing with devastating loss. JoAnn Compton Powell shares that she has been unable to move forward after the death of her daughter, Laurie, over a decade ago. Dr. Phil shares his five coping skills for grief, causing JoAnn to have one of the deepest aha! moments in Oprah show history. Oprah and Dr. Phil also speaks to Brian Janette, who stopped taking care of himself after losing his mother.

From March 28, 1989: Oprah talks to adults who share stories of the emotional abuse they suffered as children and how it still affects them today. Psychotherapist and author of How to Raise Your Self-Esteem, Dr. Nathaniel Branden explains the difference between conscious living and unconscious living, and how making small changes to be more conscious in your life can improve your self-esteem. He also explains why some people are able to transcend abusive circumstances when others cannot. Dr. Branden passed away in 2014 at age 84 from complications with Parkinson’s disease.

From December 20, 1988: Three happiness experts share their secrets to living a joyful life. Featured guests include Dr. Paul Pearsall, a neuropsychologist and New York Times best-selling author of Super Joy; Robert Fulghum, a minister and author of New York Times best-seller All I Really Need To Know, I Learned in Kindergarten; and Wally “Famous” Amos, entrepreneur and author or The Power In You. The experts respond to audience members’ questions and answer some of life’s toughest questions: Is life unfair? Does everything happen for a reason? Do we have control over our lives? The three also discuss the importance of self-love, recognizing that love is a decision and how joy equals acceptance. Dr. Paul Pearsall passed away in 2007.

From October 9, 1997: Oprah talks with author and psychiatrist Elisabeth Kubler-Ross about her autobiography, Wheel of Life. A pioneer in death and dying studies, Elisabeth shares the greatest lessons she’s learned from those who are dying, how she is welcoming death at the end of her own life and how she’s able to never give up. Also, journalist, philanthropist and author Mitch Albom discusses his New York Times best-selling book Tuesdays with Morrie. He explains how death is an opportunity to teach, and shares why he believes the love we create in our lives continues after death. Elisabeth Kubler-Ross passed away in 2004 at a nursing home in Scottsdale, Arizona.

From June 27, 1989: Oprah talks to grieving parents who lost their young children to handgun violence. Oprah also mediates a discussion on handgun legislation and education with a panel of guests including pediatrician Dr. Katherine Christoffel, National Rifle Association member Marion Hanner and former executive director of the Center to Prevent Handgun Violence, Barbara Laughton.

From November 27, 1989: Oprah talks to Rudine Howard, a woman weighing only 60 pounds, about her battle with anorexia nervosa. Rudine discusses her fear of food and how treatment with medical hypnotherapist Dr. Henry Parker helped her self-esteem. Other women suffering from bulimia share their patterns of bingeing and purging, the role of denial and why they see food as their only friend. Plus psychiatrist Dr. Patricia Santucci describes the characteristics of those who suffer from eating disorders, the adverse side effects and why it’s important to break the chain of secrecy. Rudine Howard later succumbed to her disease, passing away in 1996.

From February 5, 2001: Oprah talks with author and lifestyle makeover expert, Cheryl Richardson about her New York Times Bestselling book, Life Makeovers. Cheryl explains why boundary-setting is the number one way to improve your life. She gives three components to boundary setting, tips for staying calm in confrontation and explains the importance of the phrase, “I need you to hear me.” Cheryl also discusses internal boundaries, how to recognize where boundaries are needed and why it’s important to not ‘over-explain’ yourself.

From October 19, 2001: Oprah talks to Mattie Stepanek, an 11-year-old boy who, despite having muscular dystrophy, has written two New York Times best-selling inspirational books of poetry, Heartsongs and Journey Through Heartsongs. He aims to help create world peace. Mattie shares his poetry, describes what he calls “Heartsongs,” and details how he sees miracles every day. Oprah then talks with singer, author and motivational speaker Tom Sullivan about how it feels to be blind. Mattie, who later became one of Oprah’s most memorable guests passed away in 2004 at the age of 13.

From May 4, 2011: Oprah celebrates the 50-year anniversary of the 1961 Freedom Riders movement with 178 surviving Freedom Riders in the audience. The American heroes share their reasons for risking their lives to defy the segregation laws of the Deep South. Congressman John Lewis is reunited with Elwin Wilson, one of the men who beat him at a bus station in Rock Hill, South Carolina. They open up about the beating and Wilson’s subsequent apology in 2009. In 2013, Elwin Wilson died in a South Carolina hospital at the age of 76.

From December 2, 1992: New York Times best-selling author, counselor, motivational speaker and television host John Bradshaw discusses his book, Creating Love: The Next Great Stage of Growth. John asserts that most of us don’t even know what love really is. He explains how love can cause misery instead of pleasure in what he calls “mystified love.” John speaks about the effect our childhood has on our adult relationships. John also leads the audience in a meditation and shares how to achieve the “soulful love” we all deserve. On May 8, 2016, John Bradshaw died of heart failure at the age of 82. He is survived by his wife and two children.

From November 22, 1993: Oprah reads entries from her personal journal about her emotional struggles with weight. She explains how she came to understand that her battles with weight are really internal issues that have manifested themselves physically. Oprah also reveals the deep fears that took her 15 years to face and shares the questions she had to ask herself to get to the root of her problem. Then, exercise physiologist and fitness expert Bob Greene gives tips to lose weight the healthy way and lists the best overall aerobic exercises for weight loss. Also, Oprah shares a special message to Stedman for standing by her.

From October 1, 2008: Oprah talks to Brenda Slaby, a mom and assistant principal who accidentally left her 2-year-old daughter, Cecilia, in the backseat of her car while she was at work. Cecilia died of a heatstroke after being in the car for 8 hours in temperatures rising above 90 degrees. Brenda discusses how she became perceived as what she calls “the most hated mom in America,” and other mothers also share their stories of feeling overwhelmed by the pressure to be perfect. Then, poet, author and Zen Buddhist teacher and priest Norman Fischer explains why there’s no such thing as multitasking, offering tips to refocus your attention and sharing why he believes it’s important to ask for help when you feel too busy.

From April 4, 1989: Oprah talks to a family with three generations of alcoholics about repeating the family cycle and how alcoholism has affected their lives. Psychologist and author Janet Geringer Woititz discusses her New York Times best seller, Adult Children of Alcoholics. She explains how to recognize the characteristics of children of alcoholics and how to break the cycle of alcohol abuse. She also gives advice on how to stop enabling and start helping loved ones who suffer with alcoholism. Janet Geringer Woititz passed away at her home in Roseland, New Jersey, in 1994.

From January 8, 1993: Oprah interviews self-help author and Oprah Show regular guest Harville Hendrix, who teaches us how to make our relationships not only last longer, but become happier. He talks about overcoming trust issues, childhood wounds appearing in adulthood and how marriage is a structure for healing. He also works with several couples on making their love last and discusses his books Getting The Love You Want and Keeping The Love You Find. Oprah explains how Getting the Love You Want helped improve her relationship with Stedman Graham. Of Harville’s work, Oprah says, “I saw relationships not solely as the kind of romantic pursuit our society celebrates, but as a spiritual partnership that's meant to change how you see yourself and the world.” Harville is a New York Times best-selling author, international speaker and couples therapist with more than 40 years of experience as an educator, clinical trainer and lecturer who has appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show 17 times.

From October 13, 2008: New York Times best-selling author and personal finance expert Suze Orman talks to guests about what they can and cannot afford. She crunches the numbers and decides if they will be approved or denied for major lifestyle decisions. She also recommends the amount of money to have in an emergency savings account, what money never to touch and the maximum length for a car loan. The information in this program is for your general knowledge and is not a substitute for professional financial advice. To ensure that any information or suggestion in this program fits your particular circumstances, you should consult with an appropriate financial, tax, or legal professional before taking action based on any suggestions or information presented here.

From February 8, 2010: Oprah sits down for an unprecedented interview with four admitted child molesters for a frank, graphic discussion about their crimes. The men open up about the grooming process, how they built trust and how they selected their victims. They also give advice to parents on how to prevent sexual assault and signs to look for if you think your child may be being abused. Oprah called it the most honest conversations she’s ever had with sex offenders.

From February 4, 2010: Cardiothoracic surgeon and television host Dr. Mehmet Oz reveals how you can stop “America’s silent killer”: diabetes. Speaking to an audience full of diabetes patients and family members of people diagnosed with diabetes, Dr. Oz describes the warning signs, risk factors, foods to avoid and why diabetes is so prevalent in African American communities. Exercise physiologist and fitness expert Bob Greene takes African American church members to boot camp and gives practical lifestyle tips to help prevent or reduce diabetes symptoms. The information in this program is for your general knowledge and is not a substitute for medical advice. If you have any questions about your health, please seek advice from your personal physician.

From January 17, 2011: To commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, Oprah looks back at “The Oprah Winfrey Show” episodes that centered around race. The moments include a visit to Forsyth County, GA, where no black person had lived since 1912, the reunion of seven of the Little Rock 9 with the white high school students who bullied them, a brown-eyed/blue-eyed race experiment with teacher Jane Elliott, a white college student’s experiment on being black, audience opinions about the Rodney King verdict and riots, Jay-Z’s book “Decoded,” and an interview with a former racist who changed after getting to know his biracial grandson. Also, Oprah reveals the pivotal aha! moment she had during the taping of an episode with white supremacist guests.

From September 26, 2007: New York Times best-selling author, rabbi, psychotherapist and Sandcastle Program founder M. Gary Neuman talks to families about how to help their children cope with divorce. He explains how divorce affects boys and girls differently, how to discuss divorce with children and the three rules in telling your children you’re getting divorced. Gary talks to the children of three families about the affect their parents’ divorce has had on them. He also helps initiate healing with the parents through love and connection.

From January 22, 2002: Oprah Winfrey and New York Times best-selling author, psychologist, and television host Dr. Phil McGraw discuss his book “Self Matters: Creating Your Life from the Inside Out.” Dr. Phil helps guests with low self-esteem discover their real value and unlock their true potential. He reveals why we matter and explains the difference between our authentic selves and what he calls our “fictional selves.” Dr. Phil discusses how we can unlock certain skills, gifts, abilities and wisdom he says we were all born with in the core of who we are. Plus, Oprah shares the earliest life-defining moment that helped lead to discovering her authentic self. The information in this program is for your general knowledge and is not a substitute for medical advice. If you have any questions about your mental health, please seek advice from a professional health care provider.

From May 21, 1990: Author Truddi Chase sits down with Oprah to discuss her New York Times best-selling autobiography, When Rabbit Howls. The book details the horrific stories of childhood sexual and physical abuse Truddi suffered at the hands of her stepfather. The abuse caused her to split into 92 separate personalities she calls her “troops.” She also shares a recording of her therapy sessions and why she has a debilitating fear of snakes. Truddi explains how she first realized the “troops” were with her and how they helped her through tough times, and shares her journey to recovery. Truddi passed away at her home in 2010 at the age of 74.

From October 24, 1997: Oprah revisits five lessons she learned over the years about to how help families around the world learn to be happier. Some audience members say, “I love you” for the first time and Oprah shares ways to show love without having to say, “I love you.” She also reveals some of her favorite tips from family-focused books, 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families, by Steven Covey, and Simple Abundance, by Sarah Ban Breathnach. Plus, Oprah talks with former Buffalo Bills quarterback Jim Kelly and his wife, Jill, about the lessons they’ve learned from their son Hunter, who at the time was dying from Krabbe’s disease. After being given only three years to live, Hunter passed away in 2005 at the age of eight.

From August 14, 1991: Oprah talks to personal safety experts and survivors who demonstrate and discuss how people can protect themselves against attackers. They share the most common mistakes people make and discuss what not to do with an attacker. They also explain why fighting back is a personal choice that only you can make, why fighting until “you’re safe” is important and how to say, “No!” Experts include Jean O’Neal, who at the time was the research director of the National Crime Prevention Council, J.J. Bittenbinder, who served 20 years on the San Diego Police Department and is the founder of the Strong Defense Organization, Terri Treas, who was a spokesperson and graduate of IMPACT, and Lisa Gaeta, founder and CEO at IMPACT.

The Oprah Winfrey Show remains the highest-rated daytime talk show in television history. A lot has changed since Oprah ended her show, but many of our personal struggles have stayed the same. She feels we are all still looking to connect, to be seen and to know that we are not alone. She feels that the her show was one of the greatest classrooms in the world. Join her now to hear the break-throughs, the connections, and eye-opening life lessons. Her hope is that these classic shows will help illuminate your path to all that you were meant to be.