Special: Oprah Honors American Heroes: The Freedom Riders Reunite 50 Years Later

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 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.