Recently, Dr. Phil had an interview with Demi Lovato on his show which brought it a lot of attention since Demi Lovato has consistently for the last few years been open about her mental health journey. Due to her large fan base, speaking about mental illness has become even more necessary in today’s media world. But along with that came the eye upon Dr. Phil.
If you’re not sure who Dr. Phil is despite seeing a few pictures or snippets of an old smiling balding man speaking to troubled families, then you’re not missing much, to be honest. Dr. Phil is a doctor and got his Ph.D. in psychology in 1979 at the University of North Texas. He is no longer a licensed psychologist and, in fact, he does not call himself a licensed psychologist. He simply calls himself a “doctor” which is still true despite the fact he does not have a psychologist license. The truth is you do not need to have a license in order to be a doctor. You need that license to be a psychologist. Had he said he was a psychologist, he would be in trouble with California law and is therefore very careful with not saying those words specifically.
Now, onto the next point. What Dr. Phil does on television is not practicing psychology. What the licensing does for a psychologist is make sure that they still know the ethical guidelines, standards of behavior, and altogether fit for the role of a psychologist (through training, experience, expertise and professional goals). Dr. Phil may have had the experience but things have definitely changed in the psychology world since 1979 and accordingly, Dr. Phil has no reason to learn up as he is not a “licensed psychologist.”
Now, has Dr. Phil been cheating all of his viewers and even the people on his show? I don’t think so specifically because he never said he was a psychologist, but the advice he gives comes from so many years ago and there is almost no way he is giving great advice to everyone he has on his show. Just like everything portrayed in the media, however, one should take his advice and suggestions with a grain of salt. He has a large audience and people truly trust this man, because after all, he is a “doctor.” The case of Dr. Phil is just one example of people you should do your research on before following. The usage of titles is very serious for a reason, but factors such as age, memory and practice should also be taken into consideration, especially when looking at a human being who is dealing very closely with other human beings’ lives.
Dr. Phil is not a psychologist, but rather he is a television personality who plays a psychologist. As to why he has not gotten his license renewed, we have no idea. Perhaps he simply forgot or perhaps he sees himself as someone who has no need to get it renewed. Either way, the Dr. Phil show continues to make revenue steadily each year.