The Oprah Podcast

Jul 21 · 56m

What began as a quietly self-published novel, Theo of Golden by Allen Levi, has become a literary phenomenon. First introduced in 2023 with no agent or marketing campaign the book built a devoted grassroots following through word of mouth. It eventually gained national attention, secured a bonafide publisher and become a #1 New York Times bestseller. In this conversation Oprah discusses with Allen Levi the tender, life-affirming story about a mysterious old man who arrives in the small town of Golden who transforms lives by gifting portraits to the locals and helping them feel seen. Allen reflects on what it means to live a life of love, to find hope and beauty in everyday life and to recognize the goodness in all of us. Fans of the novel, whose lives have been moved by this book, including country singer-songwriter Walker Hayes, record producer Claude Kelly and designer and TV host Tamara Day join the conversation.  

Jul 14 · 1h 8m

Buy the Book: The Power of Beliefs by Shawn Achor https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FBVK3HYN?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback Oprah sits down with renowned positive psychology researcher and bestselling author Shawn Achor to discuss his new book, The Power of Beliefs: How Strengthening Seven Core Beliefs Predicts Greater Success and a Better Life. While teaching at Harvard University and working with organizations around the world Shawn has spent more than two decades studying the connection between happiness, success and human potential. In this conversation he reveals why our beliefs don't just influence how we see the world they can actually predict what happens next. Drawing on groundbreaking research and deeply personal stories Shawn shares the seven core beliefs he says have the greatest impact on our life. Oprah and Shawn also explore the power of gratitude and how that practice alone can change what you believe to be true. Through audience questions and personal stories this episode offers a hopeful roadmap for anyone feeling stuck or disconnected. Thank you to our fantastic partners at The Farmer's Dog for presenting this episode. Their real, human-grade food has been clinically shown to support healthy aging, so you can have more good years together. URL: www.thefarmersdog.com/oprahpodcast 00:00:00 - Oprah on success 00:05:20 - What are your core beliefs? 00:07:17 - Welcome Shawn Achor, author of “The Power of Beliefs” 00:12:50 - Belief: Your behavior matters 00:16:09 - Belief: The power of gratitude 00:21:00 - When Shawn’s beliefs were tested 00:28:53 - Belief: I have something to give 00:34:06 - Woman’s vulnerable TikTok 00:37:30 - The value of knowing we are not alone 00:42:52 - How Shawn helped Flint, MI 00:46:30 - The placebo effect and beliefs 00:52:00 - Can belief change? 00:58:00 - Times when beliefs can change quickly 00:59:36 - Belief: Believing in something that’s greater than you 01:02:02 - What Oprah believes Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@oprah Follow Oprah Winfrey on Social: https://www.instagram.com/oprahpodcast/ https://www.facebook.com/oprahwinfrey/ Listen to the full podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0tEVrfNp92a7lbjDe6GMLI https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-oprah-podcast/id1782960381

Jul 7 · 29m

One of her guests Oprah has never forgotten was an 11-year-old girl named Kate who had recently lost her mother to cancer. In a conversation that touched millions Kate shared one of the many memories she treasured most was a special night when she and her mom sat together eating a bowl of Cheerios. It was a poignant reminder that the moments that matter most are not always the grand vacations, expensive gifts or elaborate celebrations, instead it can be simply time spent together. Oprah shares how over the years she often thinks about her conversation with Kate and the impact it had on her own life and her viewers’ lives. Now, Kate returns to The Oprah Podcast as a mother of two herself reflecting on how losing her mom at such a young age shaped the woman she became, the parent she strives to be and the ways she continues to carry her mother’s love forward. 00:00:00 - Welcome to a The Oprah Winfrey Show throwback 00:02:00 - Kate and Zach just lost their mom 00:08:30 - Kate and Zach as teenagers 00:10:15 - Kate shares signs from her mother 00:12:39 - Kate at 29 00:14:20 - Kate on getting help and getting sober 00:17:00 - Kate with Oprah now 00:18:24 - Zach and Kate’s relationship now Follow Oprah Winfrey on Social: https://www.instagram.com/oprahpodcast/ https://www.facebook.com/oprahwinfrey/ Listen to the full podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0tEVrfNp92a7lbjDe6GMLI https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-oprah-podcast/id1782960381

Jun 30 · 46m

Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@Oprah?sub_confirmation=1 Mara Brock Akil is one of the most influential storytellers of our time. Best known for iconic television series like Girlfriends, Being Mary Jane and the newest Netflix hit Forever, she continues to capture relatable stories that celebrate women's lives. Now, she's bringing her storytelling to the page with her debut novel, The Revelation of Dionne Daphne. The story follows Dionne Daphne, a successful beauty editor whose carefully curated life begins to unravel after a devastating revelation from her former boyfriend forces her to confront painful truths buried deep in her past. In this conversation with Oprah, Mara dives into the themes woven throughout the novel like overcoming shame, confronting childhood wounds and how returning to the places that broke us can sometimes create a new path forward. She also opens up about why this story was deeply personal and why it's the one she needed to tell now. Plus we hear from readers, including Oprah's daughter-girl Thando, who couldn't put the book down and others who found themselves in the story. BUY THE BOOK! The Revelation of Dionne Daphne https://www.amazon.com/dp/059359777X?lv=shuf&channelId=500&plpRedirect=mhFallback 00:00:00 - Welcome Mara Brock Akil, author of The Revelation of Dionne Daphne 00:04:30 - From TV writing to novel 00:05:48 - Mara on who this book is for 00:06:30 - Characters and plot 00:11:20 - Healing through writing 00:12:20 - Confronting abuse 00:18:00 - Mara on coping with her own abuse 00:20:50 - Thando’s reaction 00:24:50 - What we misunderstand about trust 00:30:45 - Message to women who are still silent 00:36:40 - Dionne’s partner 00:39:00 - The power of storytelling Follow Oprah Winfrey on Social: https://www.instagram.com/oprahpodcast/ https://www.facebook.com/oprahwinfrey/ Listen to the full podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0tEVrfNp92a7lbjDe6GMLI https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-oprah-podcast/id1782960381

Jun 23 · 59m

When Oprah first addressed the topic of domestic violence back in 1986, one out of four women in the United States was impacted by domestic violence. Today, that number has escalated to one out of two women who will experience sexual violence, physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime. In this episode Oprah talks with journalist, writer and professor Rachel Louise Snyder. She is the author of the award-winning bestseller, No Visible Bruises, where she explores the domestic violence epidemic and how to combat it. She explains why domestic violence is becoming more prevalent, why a better term for it is “intimate partner terrorism,” the signs to look out for and what steps women can take to protect themselves and their families. Oprah and Rachel are joined by Susan, a former Oprah Show guest, who endured 17 years of physical and emotional abuse by her former husband - some of which her husband forced her then 13-year-old son to record on video. Also, in the fatal Ohio home invasion that grabbed headlines, the sister and brother-in-law of married couple Spencer and Monique Tepe join to talk about how Monique had experienced years of threatening behavior and emotional abuse from her surgeon ex-husband before he killed them both in their home in December 2025. BUY THE BOOK! https://www.amazon.com/No-Visible-Bruises-Domestic-Violence/ 00:00:00 - Welcome Rachel Louise Snyder, author of “No Visible Bruises” 00:03:40 - Types of domestic violence 00:06:45 - Domestic violence vs. intimate terrorism 00:12:20 - The question: Why do you stay 00:14:57 - Seeing the signs 00:17:33 - Last act before homicide 00:19:00 - Rachel’s observation of abusive men 00:20:30 - Violence and addiction 00:24:24 - Susan’s story from The Oprah Winfrey Show 00:28:20 - Survivor Susan joins 00:35:20 - Susan’s son Dazmann joins 00:42:00 - Susan’s message to other women 00:43:10 - A DV tragedy rocked couple’s life 00:49:45 - What couple wants others to know 00:51:10 - Rachel’s personal connection to DV NEED HELP? If you or someone you know needs support, the National Domestic Violence Hotline is available for anonymous, confidential help 24/7. Call 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE) or 1-800-787-3224 (TTY) or visit the website below. https://www.thehotline.org/ Follow Oprah Winfrey on Social: https://www.instagram.com/oprahpodcast/ https://www.facebook.com/oprahwinfrey/ Listen to the full podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0tEVrfNp92a7lbjDe6GMLI https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-oprah-podcast/id1782960381

Jun 16 · 51m

Oprah’s Book Club 124th selection is Little Wonder by author Sophie Chen Keller. Oprah and Sophie sit down with an enthusiastic audience of readers to discuss Sophie's childhood spent both in the USA and China and how that experience impacted her writing. She also shares how becoming a mother for the first time was the inspiration for Little Wonder. The story is about a profound bond of love that connects a mother, Song, to her son, named River. A cataclysmic roller coaster of events is set in motion when Song loses hold of River’s hand in the teeming crowds at a Beijing train station. Throughout this story of love, perseverance and hope mother and son desperately seek to find their way back to each other. Readers share that the climactic end had them in tears. Audience members also share the passages that moved them the most and ask questions of Sophie. BUY THE BOOK! https://www.amazon.com/Little-Wonder-Novel-Thousand-Voices/dp/B0G5X5Z5R9 00:00:00 - Welcome Sophie Chen Keller, author of “Little Wonder” 00:06:05 - Writing ‘Little Wonder’ 00:09:40 - How Sophie found her title 00:12:32 - Her writing process 00:14:05 - Characters and plot 00:16:10 - Writing from a boy’s perspective 00:18:00 - Sophie’s love of piano 00:19:00 - The bumpy road to ‘Little Wonder’ 00:23:50 - Why the novel was set in 2016 00:25:45 - Rewriting the book 3-4 times 00:29:50 - Motherhood in the novel 00:32:30 - Class in the novel 00:35:00 - Purpose and motherhood 00:37:50 - How Sophie relates to music 00:41:00 - Song’s grief 00:43:20 - Tchaikovsky and the story 00:45:30 - How Sophie knew the ending Follow Oprah Winfrey on Social: Instagram Facebook TikTok Listen to the full podcast: Spotify Apple Podcasts #oprahsbookclub

Jun 9 · 1h 5m

Artificial Intelligence is rapidly changing the world as it evolves daily while offering limitless potential. Millions of Americans now turn to chatbots for guidance on finances, work and even relationships from life coaches to therapists and also companionship. But alongside their usefulness come serious risks that are often underestimated. In this conversation Oprah joins experts, families and a live audience to explore the potential hidden dangers of engaging with AI chatbots. Oprah speaks with the parents of a 14-year-old boy who died by suicide after his troubling interactions with a chatbot. We hear from UCSF psychiatrist, Dr. Keith Sakata, about the rise in reports of “AI-induced psychosis,” the potential negative mental health consequences of chatbot use and warning signs that a chatbot relationship has gone from helpful to harmful. Executive Director at Georgetown’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology, Helen Toner, offers insight into how AI chatbots are developed to have human-like interactions, AI sycophancy and what people can do to hold AI companies accountable. We also hear from people who experienced devastating consequences from their use of AI chatbots from quitting a job, isolating from loved ones to becoming convinced they needed to warn the government of impending doom. This is a candid, eye-opening conversation about the risk of AI chatbots for parents and families navigating this new technology. 00:00:00 - Oprah introduces the dangers of AI 00:04:20 - Megan joins to talk about her son 00:09:10 - Discovering her son’s chatbot conversations after death 00:11:30 - Protecting children 00:12:30 - Warning signs 00:18:00 - Chatbots inappropriate relationships with kids 00:19:00 - What parents should know 00:21:50 - Defining AI psychosis 00:25:00 - AI and human-like interactions 00:28:00 - Chatbots sycophantic nature 00:30:40 - Hannah shares her AI chatbot experience 00:35:00 - Dangers of long interactions with chatbots 00:36:30 - When Hannah’s mom was concerned 00:38:20 - Hannah getting back to herself 00:39:00 - Withdrawal from chatbots 00:40:20 - Hannah now 00:42:15 - Red flags of AI psychosis 00:45:00 - The lure of the chatbot 00:46:50 - Allan shares his AI psychosis 00:52:30 - Help from the Human Line project 00:54:00 - Human connection is the cure 00:55:00 - What we can do The Human Line Project https://www.thehumanlineproject.org/ Follow Oprah Winfrey on Social: https://www.instagram.com/oprahpodcast/ https://www.facebook.com/oprahwinfrey/ Listen to the full podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0tEVrfNp92a7lbjDe6GMLI https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-oprah-podcast/id1782960381

Jun 2 · 44m

Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/@Oprah?sub_confirmation=1New York Times best-selling author Kathryn Stockett talks with Oprah about her long-awaited novel The Calamity Club. She reveals how daunting it was to write a second novel in the wake of the success and the criticism of her smash debut hit The Help. The book sold over fifteen million copies, rose to number one and was on the best-seller list for more than two years. In 2011 it became a hit movie garnering four Oscar nominations and an Oscar win for Octavia Spencer as Best Supporting Actress. In The Calamity Club Kathryn shifts her perspective and writes a coming-of-age story set in the Depression era South about its two main characters Birdie and Meg. Kathryn explains how the cast of characters live inside her and yearn for expression through her written word. She shares her desire to tackle shocking challenges that women faced during that time. She says eventually the story evolved into an adventure about a group of bold, unbreakable women who overcome incredible hardships to reclaim their lives. The camaraderie, courage, resilience and the love between these characters will have you crying one page and laughing out loud the next. Three readers zoom in from their homes with questions for Kathryn about the book.BUY THE BOOK!'The Calamity Club'https://www.amazon.com/Calamity-Club-Novel-Kathryn-Stockett/dp/1954118813Chapters:00:00:00 - Welcome Kathryn Stockett, author of ‘Calamity Club’ 00:02:58 - 17 years between books 00:05:00 - Kathryn on the criticism of ‘The Help’ 00:06:03 - How it changed her writing00:08:15 - Getting fired by her publisher00:09:30 - Characters and plot of ‘Calamity Club’00:12:20 - How Kathryn found her characters00:13:40 - Reactions to ‘Calamity Club’00:17:20 - Will there be a sequel?00:20:43 - How will ‘Calamity Club’ be received? 00:25:17 - Women in the 20s00:27:10 - Theme of found family 00:28:02 - What she wants readers to take away 00:31:55 - Advice to young women00:35:35 - Kathryn’s favorite character00:37:00 - Writing this story kept her sane 00:38:08 - Finishing the bookFollow Oprah Winfrey on Social:https://www.instagram.com/oprahpodcast/https://www.facebook.com/oprahwinfrey/Listen to the full podcast:https://open.spotify.com/show/0tEVrfNp92a7lbjDe6GMLIhttps://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-oprah-podcast/id1782960381

May 26 · 59m

World-renowned psychotherapist Esther Perel returns to The Oprah Podcast to share her brilliant relationship insights with a live audience. Esther has incisive advice for Gen Z women who’ve given up on dating, a mother of five struggling to heal old wounds in her marriage and a single mom who put her dating life on hold to focus on raising her son. Plus, Esther reveals what she learned during her first-ever therapy session between a man and his AI chatbot girlfriend. She also reflects on the 20th anniversary of her groundbreaking book Mating in Captivity — and why, in today’s age of disconnection, its message is more crucial than ever. BUY THE BOOK! The 20th anniversary edition of Mating in Captivity, published by HarperCollins and written by Esther Perel, is available wherever books are sold. https://www.estherperel.com/mating-in-captivity 00:00:00 - Welcome Esther Perel 00:03:00 - Desire in long-term relationships 00:05:12 - Relationships in 2006 vs. 2026 00:08:45 - We’re more connected and less accessible 00:10:32 - 3 most common sex challenges today 00:13:00 - Esther’s dating advice 00:17:30 - One person can’t be everything 00:21:05 - The love myth we learned 00:22:50 - What to look for in a partner 00:25:30 - Relationship ambivalence 00:29:40 - Relationships with chatbots 00:36:36 - Chatbot relationships are here 00:37:57 - When couples therapy took off 00:39:00 - Healing from relationship ruptures 00:42:00 - Importance of repair 00:46:00 - How to date again 00:48:28 - Healing from heartbreak 00:54:50 - How Esther understands people Follow Oprah Winfrey on Social: https://www.instagram.com/oprahpodcast/ https://www.facebook.com/oprahwinfrey/ Listen to the full podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/0tEVrfNp92a7lbjDe6GMLI https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-oprah-podcast/id1782960381