He has galvanized millions of people to "get real" about their own behavior and create more positive lives. His nationally syndicated daily one-hour series, Dr. Phil, has been making headlines and breaking records since its September 2002 launch, when it garnered the highest ratings of any new syndicated show since the launch of The Oprah Winfrey Show 16 years prior. People magazine named Dr. Phil one of the "Most Intriguing People of 2002," while Barbara Walters included Dr. Phil in her 2002 "Ten Most Fascinating People" special. Newsweek dedicated a September cover story to Dr. Phil, which turned out to be the magazine's best-selling profile cover of the year. Produced by Paramount Domestic Television in partnership with Harpo Productions and King World Productions, the hit series draws on Dr. Phil's 30 years of experience in psychology and human functioning. Having begun his TV career as Oprah's resident expert on human behavior, Dr. Phil continues to deal with real-life issues in his signature "tell-it-like-it-is" style. In season one, Dr. Phil combined enlightenment with entertainment value as the show took on such topics ranging from human functioning to behavioral medicine to legal issues. Last year, he introduced several signature themes such as The Ultimate Weight Loss Challenge that inspired hundreds of local groups throughout the country and the Dr. Phil Families that exposed and dealt with the underlying problems facing families today. Other themes included the groundbreaking Relationship Rescue Retreat series, which examined the marriages of six couples on the brink of divorce, and Brandon's Intervention, which included an actual on-stage drug intervention that saved a 21-year old’s life.
The third season of Dr. Phil features such topics as family, how to raise your children to be outstanding adults, and mother-daughter relationships, as well as follow-ups on prominent and compelling guests from the first two seasons.
Dr. Phil is author of five #1 New York Times bestsellers: Life Strategies: Doing What Works, Doing What Matters; Relationship Rescue: A Seven-Step Strategy for Reconnecting with Your Partner; Self Matters: Creating Your Life From the Inside Out; The Ultimate Weight Solution: The Seven Keys to Weight Loss Freedom, and his most recent book, Family First: Your Step-by-Step Plan for Creating a Phenomenal Family. His books have been published in 34 languages with over 17 million copies in print. He is also the author of the New York Times bestseller The Ultimate Weight Solution Coookbook: Recipes For Weight Loss Freedom as well as The Ultimate Weight Solution Food Guide. His books have been published in 36 languages with over 19 million copies in print.
In concert with his books and television work, Dr. Phil provides strategic guidance for millions of Americans through his monthly column in O, The Oprah Magazine. He is also one of the world’s most sought-after public speakers. As a professional psychologist, he has published numerous scholarly articles and has practiced in the many fields of clinical psychology and behavioral medicine. Dr. Phil has a B.S, M.A. and Ph.D. in clinical psychology from North Texas State University with a dual area of emphasis in clinical and behavioral medicine. He has been a board-certified and licensed clinical psychologist since 1978. Dr. Phil, an avid golfer, tennis player, and scuba diver, lives in Los Angeles with Robin, his wife of 28 years, and their two sons, Jay and Jordan.
Dr. Phillip C. McGraw has announced the formation of the Dr. Phil Foundation. This nonprofit organization will be another tool in Dr. Phil's arsenal to fight what he calls the "silent epidemics" in America, those problems that cripple our society in subtle but undeniable ways and therefore often "fall through the cracks" in terms of funding and attention. The Dr. Phil Foundation will be raising and distributing funds to organizations focused on researching and battling such disorders many of which have psychological as well as medical implications for the sufferer. Families at risk and children will be a primary focus in the first year, with childhood obesity and other eating disorders as an initial emphasis.
"Childhood obesity is an issue about which I have great passion. This crippling disorder has absolutely become a run-away epidemic having more than doubled in just the last generation. Now, nearly one in three children is overweight or obese and seventy percent of those children will be obese as adults. We are beginning to see a number of serious medical disorders occurring in our children that were previously seen only in the adult population. Diseases such as Type II Diabetes, Essential Hypertension and Osteoarthritis are expressing and manifesting at much higher rates among children than ever before, all associated with obesity," said Dr. McGraw. "As a result this may be the first generation that may not live longer than their parents. Additionally, the social implications of a compromised body image and a destruction of self confidence are robbing these children of the joy of life. The good news is, with the proper education and research, much of this is preventable. As a regular charitable contributor, I am excited to take my charitable efforts to the next level by creating the Dr. Phil Foundation, specifically dedicated to battling the various causes that I am passionate about on a personal and professional level."
Based in Irving, Texas, the Dr. Phil Foundation will be receiving funding from a variety of sources including future celebrity events, speaking engagements, endorsements, fundraisers, corporate and individual contributions and personal contributions from Dr. McGraw. Steve Davidson, senior grant officer of the Meadows Foundation, longtime friend and advisor to Dr. McGraw, will be serving as a volunteer advisor and executive director of the Dr. Phil Foundation.
The Dr. Phil Foundation is a nonprofit, charitable organization based in Irving, Texas and established in 2003 with a mission of fighting multiple epidemic level problems, principally with families, children and teens. Childhood obesity and related diseases will be an early focus. The foundation was created by Dr. Phillip C. McGraw, psychologist, best-selling author and host of the critically acclaimed daytime television series Dr. Phil.
Dr. Phil Caught In Child Abuse Scandal
Strip searches, violent beatings & emotional torture alleged at 'tough love' school he recommends. Dr. Phil McGraw -- TV's titan of tough love -- is embroiled in a shocking child abuse scandal!
The advice guru arranged a troubled teen's enrollment at a residential treatment center. But The ENQUIRER has discovered that the center has been accused of abuses ranging from inhumane treatment to cruel and unusual punishment.
Three former residents have described the place -- Provo Canyon School in Utah -- as "pure hell" and even liken it to a "maximum security prison"!
"I can't even fathom the thought of Dr. Phil recommending parents send their children to Provo," former Provo Canyon resident Angela Smith told The ENQUIRER.
COLDHEARTED
"Dr. Phil is either oblivious to the horrendous acts of emotional and physical torment that go on behind Provo's closed doors, or he's so coldhearted that he simply doesn't care about the blatant mistreatment of children."
On November 24, a family appeared on a segment of "Dr. Phil" entitled "Afraid of My Child's Behavior." Parents identified as Terri and David claimed their 15-year-old daughter was obsessed with violence and murder, and exhibited destructive behavior that was beyond their control.
Terri even claimed she was marked for death on a "hit list&
Dr. Phil is author of five #1 New York Times bestsellers: Life Strategies: Doing What Works, Doing What Matters; Relationship Rescue: A Seven-Step Strategy for Reconnecting with Your Partner; Self Matters: Creating Your Life From the Inside Out; The Ultimate Weight Solution: The Seven Keys to Weight Loss Freedom, and his most recent book, Family First: Your Step-by-Step Plan for Creating a Phenomenal Family. His books have been published in 34 languages with over 17 million copies in print. He is also the author of the New York Times bestseller The Ultimate Weight Solution Coookbook: Recipes For Weight Loss Freedom as well as The Ultimate Weight Solution Food Guide. His books have been published in 36 languages with over 19 million copies in print.
In concert with his books and television work, Dr. Phil provides strategic guidance for millions of Americans through his monthly column in O, The Oprah Magazine. He is also one of the world’s most sought-after public speakers. As a professional psychologist, he has published numerous scholarly articles and has practiced in the many fields of clinical psychology and behavioral medicine. Dr. Phil has a B.S, M.A. and Ph.D. in clinical psychology from North Texas State University with a dual area of emphasis in clinical and behavioral medicine. He has been a board-certified and licensed clinical psychologist since 1978. Dr. Phil, an avid golfer, tennis player, and scuba diver, lives in Los Angeles with Robin, his wife of 28 years, and their two sons, Jay and Jordan.
Dr. Phillip C. McGraw has announced the formation of the Dr. Phil Foundation. This nonprofit organization will be another tool in Dr. Phil's arsenal to fight what he calls the "silent epidemics" in America, those problems that cripple our society in subtle but undeniable ways and therefore often "fall through the cracks" in terms of funding and attention. The Dr. Phil Foundation will be raising and distributing funds to organizations focused on researching and battling such disorders many of which have psychological as well as medical implications for the sufferer. Families at risk and children will be a primary focus in the first year, with childhood obesity and other eating disorders as an initial emphasis.
"Childhood obesity is an issue about which I have great passion. This crippling disorder has absolutely become a run-away epidemic having more than doubled in just the last generation. Now, nearly one in three children is overweight or obese and seventy percent of those children will be obese as adults. We are beginning to see a number of serious medical disorders occurring in our children that were previously seen only in the adult population. Diseases such as Type II Diabetes, Essential Hypertension and Osteoarthritis are expressing and manifesting at much higher rates among children than ever before, all associated with obesity," said Dr. McGraw. "As a result this may be the first generation that may not live longer than their parents. Additionally, the social implications of a compromised body image and a destruction of self confidence are robbing these children of the joy of life. The good news is, with the proper education and research, much of this is preventable. As a regular charitable contributor, I am excited to take my charitable efforts to the next level by creating the Dr. Phil Foundation, specifically dedicated to battling the various causes that I am passionate about on a personal and professional level."
Based in Irving, Texas, the Dr. Phil Foundation will be receiving funding from a variety of sources including future celebrity events, speaking engagements, endorsements, fundraisers, corporate and individual contributions and personal contributions from Dr. McGraw. Steve Davidson, senior grant officer of the Meadows Foundation, longtime friend and advisor to Dr. McGraw, will be serving as a volunteer advisor and executive director of the Dr. Phil Foundation.
The Dr. Phil Foundation is a nonprofit, charitable organization based in Irving, Texas and established in 2003 with a mission of fighting multiple epidemic level problems, principally with families, children and teens. Childhood obesity and related diseases will be an early focus. The foundation was created by Dr. Phillip C. McGraw, psychologist, best-selling author and host of the critically acclaimed daytime television series Dr. Phil.
Dr. Phil Caught In Child Abuse Scandal
Strip searches, violent beatings & emotional torture alleged at 'tough love' school he recommends. Dr. Phil McGraw -- TV's titan of tough love -- is embroiled in a shocking child abuse scandal!
The advice guru arranged a troubled teen's enrollment at a residential treatment center. But The ENQUIRER has discovered that the center has been accused of abuses ranging from inhumane treatment to cruel and unusual punishment.
Three former residents have described the place -- Provo Canyon School in Utah -- as "pure hell" and even liken it to a "maximum security prison"!
"I can't even fathom the thought of Dr. Phil recommending parents send their children to Provo," former Provo Canyon resident Angela Smith told The ENQUIRER.
COLDHEARTED
"Dr. Phil is either oblivious to the horrendous acts of emotional and physical torment that go on behind Provo's closed doors, or he's so coldhearted that he simply doesn't care about the blatant mistreatment of children."
On November 24, a family appeared on a segment of "Dr. Phil" entitled "Afraid of My Child's Behavior." Parents identified as Terri and David claimed their 15-year-old daughter was obsessed with violence and murder, and exhibited destructive behavior that was beyond their control.
Terri even claimed she was marked for death on a "hit list" of 27 people her daughter wanted killed.
Dr. Phil's answer to this family's problem was to send their daughter to Provo Canyon School, which shares the tough love approach he espouses.
And not only did Dr. Phil recommend the school to the teen's parents -- he arranged her enrollment there!
Dr. Phil boasted about the program's "proven record of turning young kids' lives around."
But three former students of Provo Canyon were horrified to learn about Dr. Phil's recommendation.
'AS BAD AS PRISON'
"I've seen things happen to kids at Provo Canyon School that are as bad as anything inside a maximum-security prison!" Angela Smith charges.
At 15, Angela overdosed on pills in a failed suicide attempt that was prompted by a family member who she alleges sexually abused her.
In need of therapeutic treatment, Angela viewed a promotional videotape of Provo Canyon.
"The video made Provo look like some kind of Club Med vacation resort," Angela revealed.
"They painted the picture of a healthy healing environment with a staff of therapists available to help residents around the clock."
But from the moment Angela began her 8-week stay at the school in 1989, she says the facility was a far cry from what she saw on the video, she told The ENQUIRER.
"As soon as I arrived, the staff confiscated all my personal items and made me undergo a strip search.
"There was no privacy whatsoever and the residents were never out of the staff's sight.
"We had to get dressed in front of strangers, shower together and go to the bathroom in stalls with no doors.
'EXTREME TORTURE'
"I found out quickly that if I broke the rules I would be subjected to extreme forms of mental and physical torture.
"On my first night at Provo I was shown the proper way to make my bed. A few days after that one of the staff tore the blanket from my bunk bed and pointed out a wrinkle in the bottom sheet.
"For that small wrinkle I was given one week in a 6-by-6 concrete cell known as the Investment Area -- which residents quietly referred to as 'The Dungeons.'
"I had to stand in one place for 10 to 12 hours at a time and stare at the concrete wall the entire time without moving. The rooms were cold, damp, very unsanitary and usually infested with bugs.
"Even worse punishment came in what they called the Observation Room, which is nothing more than a cold, dark, empty room with no bed or toilet.
"I heard stories that the staff would ignore residents' pleas to use the rest room, forcing them to relieve themselves in a drain in the floor.
"I witnessed students being physically abused. One girl was beaten so badly she slipped into a temporary coma. She was later sent to an Observation Room to be disciplined, but returned with a broken nose, broken ribs and a broken arm.
"Another time a boy tried to escape. He was captured and brought back in a full body cast.
"I wrote to my mom and tried to tell her about the girl who was put in a coma, but my counselor intercepted the letter and threatened to inflict physical violence on me if I didn't tear it up."
Angela's mom Catherine Smith told The ENQUIRER that her daughter was barely recognizable by the time she left Provo Canyon.
"Within two months she had lost at least 35 pounds and was as pale as a ghost.
"I broke down into tears the first time I saw her because she looked like a walking corpse."
Angela, now a 30-year-old pre-law student at the University of Washington, started the Web site www.heal-online.org.
"The main objective of our site is to expose Provo Canyon School and similar types of programs," she explained.
"It's beyond me how someone who claims to know as much about psychology as Dr. Phil would recommend a child be sent to Provo as a solution to a family's problems."
Angela Smith is not alone. According to court documents obtained by The ENQUIRER, former Provo Canyon student David Taylor successfully sued the school in 1995.
Years earlier, an appeals court in Utah ruled in favor of two former students who filed suit against the school, alleging cruel and unusual punishment, anti-therapeutic and inhumane treatment and denial of due process of law.
A representative for the school responded: "The majority of these claims concern incidents that took place years ago, prior to the current ownership."
But according to a student who left Provo Canyon recently, much of the abuse alleged in those court documents and claimed by Angela Smith is still going on.
"On my second day at Provo I broke my hand playing basketball," Jason Kan, 18 -- who was a resident from October 2003 to March 2004 -- told The ENQUIRER.
"It swelled up at least three times its normal size, but instead of letting me seek medical attention the staff accused me of faking the injury.
"Three days later, after my swollen hand turned several shades of purple, the staff finally agreed to take me to the hospital.
NEEDED SURGERY
"Doctors shrieked in disbelief when they saw the condition of my hand and said I immediately needed to undergo surgery!
"I can remember two kids who were so desperate to escape from Provo that they removed a drain pipe from the bottom of a sink and used it as a weapon to take the keys away from a staff member.
"They were eventually captured, brought back and tortured in the Observation Room for days."
Rachel Roberts of San Diego was discharged from Provo Canyon School in December 2002 after spending what she describes as 26 months of pure hell.
SOUR AND LUMPY MILK
"The food was so unhealthy that it wasn't fit to feed an animal. Sometimes the milk they served us was so old that it had turned sour and lumpy," Rachel, 18, told The ENQUIRER.
"I lost close to 30 pounds by the time I was discharged.
"I knew one girl who had her nose broken after staff smashed her face into a wall for not obeying an order.
"I've been out of Provo for two years and I am still haunted by flashbacks.
"I think Dr. Phil should be investigated for malpractice for recommending Provo Canyon School to parents on his show!"
TiVo Joins Dr. Phil in Honoring America's Soldiers and Their Families This Holiday Season
TiVo Inc. (Nasdaq: TIVO - News), creator of and a leader in digital video recording services (DVRs) announced that it is one of the providers joining Dr. Phil McGraw in honoring America's soldiers and their families in a three-part series of his nationally syndicated show on December 15, 16 and 17. Dr. Phil and Robin McGraw will be hosting the shows, which will honor military families who currently have relatives overseas. TiVo has donated TiVo® Series2(TM) DVRs with product lifetime TiVo service* for Dr. Phil to distribute to military families featured on the broadcast.
We're honored to participate in this program," said Matt Wisk, chief marketing officer, TiVo Inc. "We hope that this token of our appreciation will make the holidays a little brighter for the soldiers and their courageous families back home."
"By providing TiVo to family members of those that are away in the service, we hope to make it an easier transition for their loved ones when they return home and begin to catch up on their life, including the favorite programs that they missed while on duty," said Dr. Phil McGraw.
The TiVo boxes include the highly acclaimed, exclusive set of TiVo service features including Season Pass(TM) and WishList(TM), as well as the home media capabilities that allow broadband subscribers to connect to all the content they love, including digital music and photos, as well as schedule recordings online from any Internet connection. TiVo Series2 boxes work with any TV setup including antenna, cable, digital cable and satellite, and allow subscribers to record up to 140 hours of their favorite shows without the hassles of videotape
Handset Gets A Spot On Dr. Phil's Show
Cingular Wireless' latest handset offering from Sony Ericsson will make an appearance on the "Dr. Phil Show" today to tout the ability of the Z500a to help customers "stay connected."
The EDGE-capable phone sports a color display, built-in digital camera and video camera, as well as 3D gaming and music ringtone applications.
The Z500a will be handed out as a gift today, along with Cingular service, to Dr. Phil's studio audience filled with military families who have family members serving in Iraq.
Cingular's ALLOVER network enables any of the carrier's 46 million customers who sign up for an expanded plan to chat mobile-to-mobile without additional fees.
Dr. Phil's weight loss program offered at Hockomock Area YMCA
The Hockomock Area YMCA is teaming up with the Dr. Phil Weight Loss Solution to offer a program to help people remain faithful to their New Year's resolutions. Mike Meyerheim, a three-time guest on the Dr. Phil television show, leads the 10-week session. He has lost more than 200 pounds on the weight loss program. A registered dietitian and the Hockomock Area YMCA's Health and Fitness/Wellness director join Meyerheim in leading the group. The program includes a 10-week membership to the YMCA, weekly educational and support groups, and a copy of Dr. Phil's The Ultimate Weight Solution: The 7 Keys to Weight Loss Freedom. The public is invited to attend one of three free orientations at the Hockomock Area YMCA's branches in Franklin, Foxboro and North Attleboro.
