(CNN) -- If Oprah Winfrey were a close friend and you had a secret to tell, she'd be an obvious choice to go to for some relief. 

Not necessarily because she wouldn't broadcast it, but because she'd probably hold your hand, ease the tension, listen sympathetically and not make you feel too bad about yourself if the secret's more like a skeleton. You both might even shed a few tears. 

In essence, this is the persona that Winfrey has crafted over the years as she's moved from newcomer host on "AM Chicago," to the queen of daytime TV with "The Oprah Winfrey Show," to the current chief executive officer of OWN, the Oprah Winfrey Network. She's relatable, but still inspiring; candid without being crass; and about as vulnerable as a billionaire media titan can be. 

"One of Oprah's major products is redemption," Kathryn Lofton, a professor of religious and American studies at Yale University, told The Globe and Mail. "She sold the experience of confession -- of hearing somebody's darkest story, and offering to them the possibility of relief from its articulation." 

As a result, Winfrey has inspired her fair share of televised confessions, from everyday guests to high-profile names. If you need to come clean and find a new path, Winfrey's the one to show you how to do it. 

Disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong is the latest celebrity to sit down with Winfrey for a "no-holds-barred" two-part chat set to begin airing on her network Thursday night. 

In the pre-taped "Oprah's Next Chapter" interview, Armstrong is expected to admit to using performance-enhancing substances during his heralded career -- a sharp about-face after he steadfastly denied doping allegations. Stripped of his seven Tour de France titles and banned from the sport, Armstrong is not only facing a mountainous public relations hurdle, but also possible legal ramifications. 
What is the name of the teacher referenced in the article?
"One of Oprah's major products is redemption," Kathryn Lofton, a professor of religious and American studies at Yale University