Is Dr. Phil a real doctor?

Phil McGraw, better known as Dr. Phil, is a psychologist who gained popularity after appearing on several episodes of The Oprah Winfrey Show. In 2002, he debuted his own talk show, Dr. Phil, where he offered psychological advice to guests. The show aired for 21 seasons before ending in 2023.

In his show, he tackled a variety of topics, including brainwashing, racism, dysfunctional relationships, and mental health issues, just to name a few. He has also written more than two dozen self-help and psychology books. With all the expertise he shares in his field, there has been an ongoing debate about whether or not McGraw is a real doctor.

Dr. Phil’s background

Dr. Phil completed his undergraduate studies in 1975 with a psychology degree. He then furthered his education and received a Ph.D. in psychology four years later. The same year he graduated, he opened a psychology practice. Earning a doctorate in clinical psychology involves years of training and completing a dissertation, which Dr. Phil has finished. In addition, psychologists must have a valid license to practice in the state where they work. Licenses are obtained by meeting educational requirements and passing an exam.

Despite having a doctorate, Dr. Phil did not attend medical school and therefore, is not considered a medical doctor. He also isn’t qualified to prescribe medication to his patients, unlike a psychiatrist. Some psychologists attach a “Dr.” to their name to distinguish that they have a doctorate.

Does he still have his license?

Although Dr. Phil has a doctorate in clinical psychology, he hasn’t renewed his license since 2006 when he was still in Texas. His license had expired that year, and he never renewed it for unknown reasons. He didn’t obtain a license in California as well, which is the state where his show was taped. 

The controversy surrounding his license came to light in 2008 when an individual filed a complaint against Dr. Phil for practicing psychology without a valid license. This was after Dr. Phil visited Britney Spears in the hospital for an intervention that was requested by the singer’s family. At that time, Spears was in an ongoing custody battle with his ex-husband over her two sons, and authorities were called to her home for her erratic behavior.

Afterward, Dr. Phil revealed details of his visit to the public, which Spears’ parents thought was a violation of their trust. The complaint against Dr. Phil, which was submitted by a practicing psychologist, said that Dr. Phil was practicing psychology without a license when he visited Spears. The California Board of Psychology investigated the matter, and they determined that Dr. Phil’s show was meant for entertainment and not for practicing psychology.

Is he a doctor or not?

In a statement after the incident, Dr. Phil said that he is eligible to obtain his license in California but he opted not to do so, as he didn’t have a private practice. When it came to his show, it’s reported that guests had to sign an agreement that they acknowledged they would be receiving advice from Dr. Phil and not having a counseling session with him.

So is he a doctor? The answer is “sort of”. He has a doctorate in psychology but isn’t a medical doctor and doesn’t have a valid license to practice in any state. However, he said that he has decades of experience in the field of psychology and insists that he still be called “Dr. Phil.”