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.
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Special: Elisabeth Kubler-Ross Is Dying
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.
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Special: Should Handguns Be Banned?
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.
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Special: Dieting to Death
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.
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Special: Lifestyle Makeovers: How to Set Personal Boundaries
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.
Oprah is opening the vault of The Oprah Winfrey Show with 25 years of hand-picked legendary interviews, a-ha moments, ugly cries and unforgettable surprises. A lot has changed since she ended the show, but many of our personal struggles have stayed the same. We’re all still looking to connect, to be seen and to know that we’re not alone. We’re also looking for some joy, some laughs and some much-needed inspiration. As we head into this new decade, what better time to look back and reflect, to take stock of how we’ve grown and to be reminded that we’re all in this together. The Oprah Winfrey Show aired from September 8th, 1986 to May 25, 2011 with 4,561 episodes. The show remains the highest-rated daytime talk show in American television history, averaging between 10 to 20 million viewers a day.