Did anyone see Dr. Phil today?

[Chewbecca]

I do not believe that he is only pointing out the obvious and is about justice. He is about numbers. The ones for his show that is. If you truly believe that what you see on shows like this portrays the truth... uhm, then you just as well believe the stories you hear about pit bulls.

I have not seen the show... but to call a mother a piece of sh!t because of what you see on a show... I don't know if that is fair. To adopt a child from another country with missing fingers and half a leg takes a lot and not everyone is able to do this. There has to be something going on.. if she can't bond with her and the girl is threatening to kill herself... they'd be better off going to a real psychiatrist and start a therapy lasting longer than an hour.

Fiine. You're right. They probably edited a lot out of the show. But I listened to the mother's reasoning. If that WAS the reason, then yeah, the mother needs help.
But I'm sure you're right and they probably edited a TON out of the show to make her look like a complete jerkface.
I wouldn't put it pass anyone doing a "reality" show to do that.

 

[Georgygirl]

None of my psych profs have a high opinion of him. In fact, whenever his name is mentioned in class it's usually accompanied by a criticism or eye roll.

And if you believe wiki, he's not licensed to practice psychology anywhere.

The Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists imposed disciplinary sanctions on McGraw on January 27, 1989 for an inappropriate "dual relationship" reported in 1988 by a female therapy client/employee from 1984. McGraw was ordered by the Board to take an ethics class, pass a jurisprudence exam, complete a physical evaluation, undergo a psychological evaluation and have his practice supervised for one year in order to continue his private practice in Texas. McGraw admits to giving the client a "job" at his office (which is not allowed), but denied carrying on a sexual relationship with the 19-year-old, who says their relationship was "sexually inappropriate."[31][3][12] As of 2008, McGraw has not completed the conditions imposed by the Board of Examiners of Psychologists,[32] and he is not licensed to practice psychology in Texas, California, or anywhere else.[33]

I think he's just like all the other day time talk show presenters who cash in on drama and as a psychologist I think he's a joke. But that's just me...

 

[Chewbecca]

None of my psych profs have a high opinion of him. In fact, whenever his name is mentioned in class it's usually accompanied by a criticism or eye roll.

And if you believe wiki, he's not licensed to practice psychology anywhere.



I think he's just like all the other day time talk show presenters who cash in on drama and as a psychologist I think he's a joke. But that's just me...

This is basically what ALL my psych profs have thought, too...except for my crazy abnormal psych prof. from last year.
But that's not saying much because she made us watch episodes of Oprah and then tested us on them. She also solely taught us about schizophrenia by making us watch a PBS special about John Nash and his son.

THAT'S college education for ya.

 

[HoundedByHounds]

He's a tool. People need to be told things by people who CARE for them or heck, even LOVE them...that is where healing starts. Not on national TV.

 

[youhavenoidea]

Wasn't it proven that Dr. Phil isn't even a psychologist or psychiatrist or whatever-the-hell he was claiming to be?

He is a trained psychologist. Or was. He hasn't renewed his Texas license to practice in like a million years, and never got one in the first place in California. Ergo, he has no business doing what he does, and I can't believe he hasn't been sued.

I can't stand the guy either - for many of the same reasons as others. He does nothing but pompously state the obvious, and publicly humiliate people for ratings. And he's so redundant I could barf.

As for the show today - absofreakinglutely shockingly (BECAUSE I can't stand the man, and never watch his show), I did see it. And though I feel the mother should have been in it for the long haul when she got the kid, I did, to a point, sympathize with her. The kid DOES have a confirmed diagnosis of (I don't remember the name) being emotionally hardwired in such a way that no, she cannot feel loved, or reciprocate that feeling to someone else. If a 10 year old has an elaborate plan for her own suicide, and threatens their parent, then they have a problem beyond feeling displaced in an adoptive family, and I don't necessarily condemn the mother for being fearful. I have met some seriously dangerous kids in my life.

Now, as much as they painted the mother as a coldhearted b*tch who doesn't care, you can't believe everything you see on TV. If she didn't care, would she have waited THIS long (6 years) to reach the end of her rope? Sometimes, people just aren't equipped to deal with the special needs of a child, and the kids are 100% better off for it, when the parents admit it, and get them into an environment where people ARE equipped to deal with it, and the child can thrive, instead of being stifled.

As with the second case on the show of the woman with the 12 year old high-functioning autisic with Down's Syndrome. Without assistance in the home, that child will only become more of a danger to himself and to the parents, and the fact that she knows that, doesn't make her a bad person.

Granted, I don't have kids, nor do I plan to, because I don't particularly like them, but that isn't the reasoning behind why I see things from the other side of the coin. I just don't think mothers faced with these situations necessarily need the lynchmob as much as they need to be understood and assisted.

 

[Georgygirl]

This is basically what ALL my psych profs have thought, too...except for my crazy abnormal psych prof. from last year.
But that's not saying much because she made us watch episodes of Oprah and then tested us on them. She also solely taught us about schizophrenia by making us watch a PBS special about John Nash and his son.

THAT'S college education for ya.

:yikes:..........wow......

Well there's always that one oddball prof isn't there?

Honestly, I watch that show and I just cringe. Psychology takes quite a beating from the other sciences when it comes to credibility and shows like that aren't helping.

 

[sparks19]

I like dr. phil. Not sure why people hate him?

He's just so condescending. that doesn't help anyone. he just puts out this appearance of having the perfect family and the perfect children and how everyone else is beneath him. to me he just acts like a bully.

And after I heard him tell a parent of a problem child to put him in his room and lock him in I was in shock :yikes: I mean... isn't that technically against the law to lock them into a room because they have no way out if something were to happen like a fire? surely there is a better way to deal with a problem child than just putting them in their room and locking the door. I surely couldn't live with myself if something happened and Hannah couldn't get out.

 

[Island dog]

I just don't think mothers faced with these situations necessarily need the lynchmob as much as they need to be understood and assisted.

I enjoyed your entire post. The only good thing about Dr. Phil is that he usually offers families assistance from real professionals. I can't stand him - he's a bully and cruel for ratings.

 

[bigears1]

His advice is so elementary. I expected more since he is this big time advice king/psychologist pumped up by Oprah and all. I prefer Dr.Laura Schlessinger....

 

[bubbatd]

I can take him or leave him . I do wish he would get in his mind that they aren't " Down's Children" ! I wish that he hadn't highlighted the 12 year old as being a child with Down Syndrome .... He definitely was a child that was highly autistic who happened to have Down Syndrome ! The mother said she would have aborted had she known .! There are many more heart breaking issues than DS !!

 

[Boemy]

He seems like the Cesar Milan of the psych world. People with problems need REAL therapy and REAL help, not to be lured onto a TV show to be demonized and/or pitied for an hour.

 

[youhavenoidea]

The mother said she would have aborted had she known .! There are many more heart breaking issues than DS !!

There are, but it's a personal opinion thing too. I wouldn't carry a baby to term if it was known to have it. Or Cystic Fibrosis, or other things that can be detected by amnio. Just because someone feels equipped to raise a child, doesn't mean they necessarily are equipped to raise one with special needs. It's a very very very personal thing, aborting for health reasons.

 

[SmexyPibble]

We only have three channels right now, none of which inculde anything like Dr. Phil, Oprah, Animal Planet, etc. The suckiness of living far, far into the country with dogs that break speakers with their tails.

So no, I didn't see it.

 

[youhavenoidea]

We only have three channels right now, none of which inculde anything like Dr. Phil, Oprah, Animal Planet, etc. The suckiness of living far, far into the country with dogs that break speakers with their tails.

So no, I didn't see it.

*cues redneck banjo music*

 

[Zoom]

He seems like the Cesar Milan of the psych world. People with problems need REAL therapy and REAL help, not to be lured onto a TV show to be demonized and/or pitied for an hour.

You beat me to it. This is what I've come to conclude after talking about him to actual psychiatrists I've run into since Dr. Phil became the Daytime Guru.