Legit or not, I guess Dr. Phil will be on the show to help Miley with her debilitating multiple-personality disorder.
On Oct 31, 3:40 pm, PGage <[email protected]> wrote: > On Sun, Oct 31, 2010 at 2:53 PM, David Bruggeman <[email protected]> wrote: > > This does support Craig Ferguson's contention that McGraw is not a real > > doctor. Given that McGraw's license to practice was apparently retired a > > few years ago, Scottish Conan Guy is correct. > > >http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3468/3750482552_6024990f7b_b.jpg > > This comes up for me periodically, both on this list and at work (I am a > licensed psychologist). He is a doctor, he is a psychologist, he is not > licensed to practice psychology or offer mental health services. > > McGraw is a "real" doctor (I include the quotes because some people think > the only real doctors are physicians, which is a different argument). He has > a Ph.D. from North Texas State University, apparently in clinical psychology > (I have never been able to nail the exact subject of his doctorate degree > authoritatively, but this is how it is most often described). > > But being a real doctor of psychology is not the same thing as being > certified to legally practice psychology, offer psychological services, and > treat patients for mental health problems. To do these things, you have to > be licensed by a state. McGraw was licensed by the state of Texas for many > years. During that time he was found to have violated ethical standards once > (he was found to have had a "dual relationship" with one of his former > patients. There had been some allegation of inappropriate touching with her, > but the final determination was limited to his having hired a former patient > as a part-time employee without waiting a sufficient length of time). I > think he was put on probation for a year, and then returned to full > practice, until he voluntarily surrendered or retired his license (I don't > think it is fair to day the license was retired, if that is meant to imply > that it was somehow taken away from him, or was not voluntary). It is not > uncommon to do this when psychologists know they are no longer going to be > seeing patients, since it costs money to keep the license current, and you > have to do 36 hours every 2 years of abominable continuing education, and > having a license constantly exposes you to legal liability. > > When McGraw had his headline grabbing encounter with Britney Spears it > appeared to many that he had violated ethical obligations of > confidentiality, but he had not, since he was not a licensed psychologist. > He does have an obligation to make sure the public knows he is not a > licensed psychologist, and he reports that he does this in writing and > verbally on his show (I can not confirm that, as I have never seen his > show). His show is an entertainment show, and is not in any way, even a > little bit, offering mental health services. > > He was invited to speak at the convention of the American Psychological > Association (of which I am reluctantly a member) in 2006. I did not attend, > and many colleagues I know were outraged with the invitation (he was also > given some kind of medal by APA). The APA, which has always been something > of a whore, justified it by the service he provides in making the public > aware of psychological information, and de-stigmatizing mental disorders. > The APA also tolerated psychologists consulting with the government about > illegal torture. I am not sure which is worse. > > A short article about him in the APA Monitor a few years ago, on the > occasion of this APA presentation, below: > > ******************************http://www.apa.org/monitor/oct06/drphil.aspx > Behind the scenes of the ‘Dr. Phil’ show > > Television's Phil McGraw talked about his goal of bringing psychology into > the nation's living rooms. > > By Laurie Meyers > October 2006, Vol 37, No. 9 > > He became a national phenomenon on "The Oprah Winfrey Show," but Phil > McGraw, PhD-television's "Dr. Phil"-envisioned more than fame when he left > Oprah Winfrey's show to start his own, he explained in an invited > presidential address at APA's 2006 Annual Convention. McGraw wanted to > create a national forum for mental health issues. > > "What if you could deliver common sense, understandable information about > life and living and deliver it to the safety, security and privacy of > people's homes every day for free?" asked McGraw. "I knew that if I could > pull it off, it would be a forum unlike any I'd ever seen before." > > *Show standards* > > On his show, McGraw sees himself not as his guests' therapist, but as a > moderator who hopefully gives people who are suffering in silence some steps > they can take toward finding help. The show lets people know that "it's OK > to identify and treat problems," said McGraw. > > McGraw explained the steps he takes to make sure the show is useful as well > as entertaining. Viewers suggest topics, which are vetted by a 12-person > advisory board of physicians, nurses and psychologists, he said. The most > common issues are parenting, relationship and money problems, he continued. > The show's research team does "exhaustive" literature searches to make sure > the content is cutting edge and sound, and the team gathers binders full of > information on each guest prior to filming. > > The show has very strict guidelines for guests, he emphasized. Anyone > currently in treatment cannot appear on the show unless McGraw receives a > written statement from his or her therapist saying it would not be harmful > for the guest to appear. People who are on medication or have been > hospitalized for mental health reasons also cannot appear on the show. The > same is true for those who have attempted suicide or demonstrated suicidal > ideation, unless the show is specifically about suicide. > > After the show, his staff arrange therapy for guests who want further help > back in their communities, and monitor their progress. > > *No substitute for therapy* > > McGraw acknowledges that the show is just a start. "We do not labor under > the false impression that we are doing an eight-minute cure," he said. The > show could "never be a meaningful substitute for therapy." > > McGraw also emphasized what an important role practicing psychologists play > in the community, citing the aid professionals continue to give in New > Orleans, where the "water has receded but the disaster isn't over." In fact, > his show filmed from New Orleans the entire APA convention week, giving > McGraw a national platform from which to talk about mental health policy > with decision-makers such as President Bush and members of Congress. > > McGraw's work highlighting mental health issues earned him a Presidential > Citation, given to him by APA President Gerald P. Koocher, PhD. "Your work > has touched more Americans than any other living psychologist," Koocher read > from the citation. > "I have received no more valued honor," said McGraw, whose late father was a > psychologist. "I wish my dad was alive to see it." -- TV or Not TV .... The Smartest (TV) People! 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