[sirI]

A complaint has been filed against Dr. Phil with the California Board of Psychology.
The complaint reportedly accuses Dr. Phil McGraw of practicing without a license when he visited Britney Spears at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center after her meltdown earlier this month, according to TMZ.com.

Dr. Phil is also accused of violating the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act. The complaint alleges Dr. Phil practiced clinical psychology without a license and ...

Read article in its entirety:

http://tv.msn.com/tv/article.aspx?news=293490&GT1=7703

[traumaRUs]

Which just goes to show you that one can claim anything on TV or the internet. This man should be in jail. Although educationally, he holds a doctorate, it is a sham to refer to him as "Dr Phil."

[caliotter3]

Fascinating. One would think that he would be well aware of his professional boundaries and would abide by such. He sets a poor example for other practicing psychologists.

[Jolie]

Originally Posted by caliotter3

Fascinating. One would think that he would be well aware of his professional boundaries and would abide by such. He sets a poor example for other practicing psychologists.

I'm going to play devil's advocate here. Please don't mistake my comments for support of Dr. Phil. I think he is a boor, and shameless self-promoter, but I don't believe he is guilty of any professional misconduct.

First of all, as I understand, Dr. Phil is not a licensed, practicing therapist. Secondly, I believe that he was asked by Brittney's family to visit her as a family friend and try and persuade her to get into treatment (not with him, but with someone else.)

So, I don't think the family has a valid complaint. In order for Dr. Phil to be guilty of a HIPAA violation, he had to be seeing Brittney in a professional capacity, which he wasn't. I agree that it was incredibly tacky and self-indulgent for him to go out and blab to the press about his conversation with her, but I don't think it amounts to a HIPAA violation.

[CHATSDALE]

there seems to be some disagreement about whether or not he was asked to go and see her by family or whether he went as a friend based on prior relationship
either way he was self promoting by talking with media
i don't believe that enough of a professional relationship exists here for hippa violationss

[Grace Oz]

We get this bloke on TV here in Australia.
I always ask: WHY!???!!!!???!!!!!

[canoehead]

So, Dr Phil...

How's that working for ya?

He needs a healthy dose of mind yer own business.

[Suesquatch]

Originally Posted by traumaRUs

Although educationally, he holds a doctorate, it is a sham to refer to him as "Dr Phil."

Why? He earned the title.

Not that I care for him. He annoys the heck out of me.

[jlsRN]

I'm not very familiar with Dr Phil, is he similar to Dr Laura?

[Spidey's mom]

I just got through listening to Dr. Laura . . . I've listened for years. I have watched Dr. Phil . . on occasion, very rarely. His show seems to veer towards the sensational. Like Maury Povich.

Dr. Laura and Dr. Phil are both tough on folks - in a "tough love" sort of way.

Dr. Laura just gave a good example to a step-mom whose stepdaughter is mourning the loss of her bio-mom - who is moving away. Take a balance scale and put small piece of manure on one and then add a candy kiss on the other for every good thing she can think of about her life. The good things will out weigh the bad and allow her to realize that she is blessed. And cannot change her bio-mom.

Dr. Phil just seems like he needs attention . . the limelight.

steph