The Deeply Personal Reasons Iyanla Is Dedicated to Stopping the Suffering of Black Men

For Iyanla, fixing a black man's heart isn't only vital for society; it's also deeply personal.

As she welcomes six black men into her House of Healing, Iyanla opens up about how her family experiences have led her to this moment, and explains the dynamics that cause men like her father and brother to be in need of such healing.

"I'm here because I watched my father suffer, suffer a fatal disease of inadequacy and unworthiness until he took his own life," she says. "I'm here because I watched my brother suffer, cross-addicted to drugs and alcohol from the time he was 16. I'm here because I watch men suffer every day, knowing that nobody has ever given you the skills, the tools, the language to master who you are, but they expect you to go out and master your life."

To master their lives, Iyanla continues, these men must first master their minds. She hopes to facilitate that process in the House of Healing. "It's my intention that when you leave here, you will either be different or be willing to become different," she tells the men. "That's why we've created this House of Healing."

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