Iyanla Vanzant
Part of a series of articles on New Thought Beliefs Affirmative prayer Creative visualization Divinity Higher consciousness Glossary of New Thought terms History of New Thought Huna Law of Attraction Metaphysics New Thought beliefs New Thought literature Omnipresence Positive thinking Prosperity theology Movement Denominations Divine Science Jewish Science Religious Science Seicho-no-Ie Unity Churches Affiliated New Thought Network Agape International Spiritual Center Centers for Spiritual Living Church of the Truth International New Thought Alliance Universal Foundation for Better Living Schools Emerson Theological Institute Unity Village, Missouri Other groups Affiliated New Thought Network Association for Global New Thought Home of Truth International Divine Science Association International New Thought Alliance League for the Larger Life New Civilization Church The Infinite Way People List of New Thought writers Historical William Walker Atkinson Nona L. Brooks H. Emilie Cady Malinda Cramer Julius Dresser Horatio Dresser Mary Baker Eddy Warren Felt Evans Charles Fillmore Myrtle Fillmore Perry Joseph Green Frank Channing Haddock Napoleon Hill Emmet Fox Ernest Holmes Fenwicke Holmes Emma Curtis Hopkins Phineas Parkhurst Quimby Elizabeth Towne Thomas Troward Wallace Wattles Modern Michael Beckwith Kate Atkinson Boehme Rhonda Byrne Dale Carnegie Robert Collier Terry Cole-Whittaker Henry Drummond Wayne Dyer Matthew Fox James Dillet Freeman Thaddeus Golas Joel S. Goldsmith Stuart Grayson Louise Hay Esther Hicks Jerry Hicks Jean Houston Byron Katie Christian D. Larson A. K. Mozumdar Caroline Myss Earl Nightingale Catherine Ponder Della Reese Florence Scovel Shinn Samuel Smiles Masaharu Taniguchi Eckhart Tolle Three Initiates Iyanla Vanzant Neale Donald Walsch Lilian Whiting Ella Wheeler Wilcox Stuart Wilde Gary Zukav Related ideas Christian Science Efficacy of prayer Freedom of religion in the United States Idealism Mind–body problem Placebo effect Subjective idealism Categories New Thought Beliefs Churches Literature Schools Other groups Religion portal v t e Iyanla Vanzant (born Rhonda Eva Harris; September 13, 1953) is an American inspirational speaker, lawyer, New Thought spiritual teacher, author, life coach and television personality. She is known primarily for her books, for her eponymous talk show, and for her frequent appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show. She can currently be seen on television as the host of Iyanla, Fix My Life, and as a frequently featured guest teacher of Oprah's Lifeclass on OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network. Vanzant was born in Brooklyn, New York on September 13, 1953, as Rhonda Eva Harris. She was given the title "Iyanla", which means "great mother", after being initiated and ordained as a priestess in the Yoruba tradition (as mentioned in her television interview on the Conn Jackson show). She attended Medgar Evers College and Virginia Union University. Vanzant holds a Juris Doctor degree, Summa Cum Laude, from the City University of New York School of Law. She currently resides in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. She is also an ordained New Thought minister. In the year 2000, she was named one of the "100 most influential Black Americans" by Ebony magazine, which said that "Her books, lectures and television appearances have made her a multimedia high priestess of healthy relationships." In 2012, Vanzant was listed at #7 on Watkins' Mind Body Spirit magazine list of the 100 most spiritually influential living people." In 2014, she was co-speaker in Oprah's the "Life You Want Weekend" tour, which travelled to eight cities, also featuring Deepak Chopra, Mark Nepo, Elizabeth Gilbert and Rob Bell. Vanzant is an honorary member of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority.