Two New OWN Spotlight Specials to Feature Iyanla Vanzant

OWN has announced premiere dates for two all-new OWN Spotlight specials from Emmy Award-winning spiritual teacher, bestselling author, and life coach Iyanla Vanzant, airing Friday, October 9 and Friday, October 16 at 9 PM ET/PT.

Fresh off the #1 premiere of Iyanla: The Inside Fix among African American women, Vanzant returns to OWN for two primetime events that bring her signature truth-telling and transformational guidance back to where many viewers first fell in love with her work: in front of a live audience.

For the first time in years, Iyanla steps into a shared healing space with guests and audience members alike, confronting some of life's most difficult challenges.

OWN Spotlight specials feature candid conversations and thought-provoking documentaries hosted by Oprah Winfrey and other creators, shining a light on the issues, stories, and achievements shaping Black communities.

'The wounds between mothers and daughters, and the disconnect between men and women, are rarely about what happened in a single moment,' says Iyanla Vanzant. 'They are often the result of generations of unmet needs, unspoken truths, and unheard hearts. Healing begins when we are willing to listen beyond our pain, speak beyond our fear, and see one another beyond our stories. When we do the sacred work of mending what has been broken, we don't just transform our relationships; we transform ourselves. And in that transformation, families heal, love deepens, and a new legacy becomes possible.'

When

Friday, October 9 at 9pm ET/PT — Mothers & Daughters: Torn Apart with Iyanla Vanzant. In this extraordinary television event, Iyanla welcomes a live studio audience of women to witness healing in real time as she works with three generations of mothers and daughters determined to confront painful truths and break destructive cycles.

Friday, October 16 at 9pm ET/PT -- What Black Men Say vs. What Black Women Hear with Iyanla Vanzant. In this powerful OWN Spotlight special, Iyanla convenes a live audience for an honest and emotionally charged conversation exploring one of the most persistent challenges in modern relationships: the communication gap between Black men and Black women.

Where

OWN, with streaming availability the following day on discovery+ and HBO Max.

Why It Matters

For Black women who have spent a lifetime carrying families, communities and relationships through difficult seasons, these specials offer something increasingly rare: a space where pain is not hidden and vulnerability is met with compassion rather than judgment.

Whether addressing generational fractures between mothers and daughters or the growing disconnect between Black men and Black women, these conversations tackle issues many people quietly struggle with but rarely discuss openly.

But Iyanla's work is not just conversations about what's broken. She invites the participants to repair, reconnect, and rediscover the understanding, grace, and love that can emerge when people are willing to tell the truth.

Both specials are produced by Bunim/Murray Productions, a Banijay Americas company, for OWN.