It could be that Dr. Phil’s very T.V. show is a crime in progress if he tells people he is an expert in psychology. I think he’d be more respectable if he was able to maintain the professional license.

My state requires me to have an electrician’s license. If I saw somebody on T.V. claiming to be an expert in my field, only without the license that I am required to have to practice my profession, I would probably turn them into the electrical board for practicing without a license too.

Properly, his title should be Phil McGraw, Ph.D. OR Dr. Phil McGraw.

Dr. Phil McGraw, Ph.D. is redundant.

I agree with the rest of your post completely.

BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONS CODE
SECTION 2900-2919

2900. The Legislature finds and declares that practice of psychology in California affects the public health, safety, and welfare and is to be subject to regulation and control in the public interest to protect the public from the unauthorized and unqualified practice of psychology and from unprofessional conduct by persons licensed to practice psychology.

(c) A person represents himself or herself to be a psychologist when the person holds himself or herself out to the public by any title or description of services incorporating the words “psychology,” “psychological,” “psychologist,” “psychology consultation,” “psychology consultant,” “psychometry,” “psychometrics” or “psychometrist,” “psychotherapy,” “psychotherapist,” “psychoanalysis,” or “psychoanalyst,” or when the person holds himself or herself out to be trained, experienced, or an expert in the field of psychology. emphasis added

Does not Dr. Phil portray himself as an expert psychologist or an expert in psychology?

2903. No person may engage in the practice of psychology, or represent himself or herself to be a psychologist, without a license granted under this chapter, except as otherwise provided in this chapter.

I think that Dr. Phil does indeed represent himself to be a psychologist. He may not have asked or charged a direct fee for his services that he rendered to Britney Spears, but that doesn’t mean he was doing it for free. He was openly planning and promoting an entertainment show concerning his services, for which he would have been compensated.

Technically, his title should be Dr. Phil PhD. By dropping the PhD, he is intentionally leaving the impression that he is a psychologist, which is a violation of California State Law if you don’t have the license.

Gray area at best. Blatant ethical and/or legal violation at worst.

This is a two-fold problem. Number one, I do believe she is bipolar. Mentally ill people, while in the throws of their mental illness NEVER believe they need help. The second problem is that she is an adult. Unless she is homicidal or suicidal, NO ONE can “make” her get the help she needs. Not even the courts. She appears to be in a very manic phase right now….she’ll never seek help if she’s manic.