Introduction To A Critical Review of Dr. Phil's Advice

This was the first show that I watched where I wrote down what I saw was the illogical approach to his advice.

On the show he had someone who claimed to have the worst spouse in America. The point of this review is to demonstrate to you that therapy today is simply pointing out the faults of one or both in the relationship.

The objective is to show that the advice is not real helpful for getting to the root causes of the problems within relationships.

05/07/03 – The worst spouse in America

In this episode of Dr. Phil he interviews couples that claim to have the worst spouse in America. The husband of the first couple claims that his wife is a nag and an idiot. He states that she is constantly on him for his flagrant abuse of her while she claims that he is constantly neglecting here. He spends money without asking her. She confronts him with the garbage when he comes home.

The dialogue between the two is bitter during the entire interview. They both stated that their relationship is on the verge of divorce. What is so obvious is that they are at each other’s throats at all times. This is the second time they have been married to each other and they have three beautiful kids together. Dr. Phil told them that their behavior is harming their kids. This show is a perfect example of the inability of therapists at understanding the problems with negative relationships.

In one of the most extreme examples of the lack of logic in therapy Dr. Phil states that the behavior of these parents affects the children today but does he explore the affect of the behavior of the parents of these two have on them in their attitude towards each other today? He doesn’t even ask a single question about the childhood of these adults.

How can someone who recognizes the problems of adults today towards their children today not understand the problems of these parents’ parents have towards these parents as children when they were young? Why does he need to worry about it when his only concern is the behavior, not the cause of the behavior? He does not even attempt to approach any cause of the problems with their relationship.

Does he talk about compromise and getting along? He doesn’t mention one element of how to cooperate, although he does superficially mention that they need to get along. Isn’t he supposed to be helping? Does Dr. Phil give any advice to help them alleviate their potential divorce? He does not make one single comment to that affect, other than the fact that they need to get along for the kids. But how do they get along? He doesn’t even make one comment whatsoever to change their direction about getting divorced. He does warn them that if they don’t change their ways then they are harming their children.

Does he give them any advice whatsoever to help them know how to change their ways, what causes them to behave in the way they do? He doesn’t give one single comment about the causes of their behavior so they can know what to change. How can you know how to change your problems when you do not know what they are? Isn’t he supposed to be an expert in relationships so that he can help with problems? No, he is simply diagnosing the problems. If he were a doctor he would tell these two that they have marital cancer and, oh well, sorry, there is nothing I can do about it. He does tell them to read his book Relationship Rescue where he states that he has not solved a single conflict in twenty-five years of practice for them to learn how to resolve their conflicts together. Boy that will surely help them with their troubles.

The bottom line is that he tells them that they need to get their act together for their children. Does he tell them how? He makes not one single comment about how!

Does he mention how these two can have a happy relationship together? The word happy is not mentioned once during the entire interview. But isn’t the goal of every relationship to be happy together? Apparently not with the esteemed Dr. Phil!