The Making of Dr. Phil The Straight-Talking True Story of Everyone's Favorite Therapist

by Dembling, Sophia; Gutierrez, Lisa

• ISBN13: 9780471467267
• ISBN10: 047146726X
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2003-11-03
• Publisher: WILEY

Summary

The first biography of Dr. Phil McGraw and his rise to fame Millions look to Dr. Phil for advice on everything from relationships to life. But Dr. Phil is more than just a pop psychologist. He's also an amazing businessman who has started and run a number of flourishing ventures. In The Making of Dr. Phil, award-winning journalists Sophia Dembling and Lisa Gutierrez take readers inside the world of Dr. Phil and his media and self-help empire. From his early days as a young athlete and student pilot, to his failed first marriage and decision to study psychology, The Making of Dr. Phil captures the courageous rise of one of today's most well-known celebrities. Full of exclusive interviews, this comprehensive portrait explores Dr. Phil's true motivations and inner drives. It also reveals the full dimension of his personality, beyond the "down-home doc" image portrayed in his books and on television. The Making of Dr. Phil offers a rare inside look at the real Dr. Phil McGraw and provides a firsthand account of how he became such a huge success. Sophia Dembling (Dallas, TX) is a veteran journalist and former reporter for the Dallas Morning News. She was recently featured on the Dr. Phil: E! True Hollywood Story and will also appear on the upcoming A&E Biography on Dr. Phil. Lisa Gutierrez (Overland Park, KS) is an award-winning journalist. She obtained the first exclusive interview with Dr. Phil's first wife, and her reporting on Dr. Phil has appeared in numerous newspapers around the world.

Author Biography

<b>SOPHIA DEMBLING</b> is a veteran reporter based in Dr. Phil&#8217;s hometown of Dallas, Texas. She spent more than a decade as a staff writer and editor at the Dallas Morning News, where she interviewed such celebrities as Martha Stewart, Carl Bernstein, Clint Black, and Annie Leibovitz. The author of The Yankee Chick&#8217;s Survival Guide to Texas, she has written for such publications as Newsday, the Los Angeles Times, the Seattle Times, and American Way. <p> <b>LISA GUTIERREZ</b> is an award-winning journalist who has been recognized for her investigative reporting by the Associated Press, National Newspaper Association, and Gannett. Now a features writer for the Kansas City Star, Gutierrez has interviewed numerous high-profile figures, including Billy Graham, Barbara Bush, Jeanne Phillips (aka Dear Abby), and actor Rob Lowe. Gutierrez has written for a number of publications over the past twenty years including USA Today. Her exclusive interview with Dr. Phil&#8217;s first wife was picked up by numerous newspapers and broadcast outlets around the country.

Table of Contents

Prologue	vii
1 Learning to Fly	1	(14)
2 Like Father Like Son	15	(13)
3 Big Man on Campus	28	(12)
4 Tackling the Rough Times	40	(12)
5 Let's Make a Deal	52	(14)
6 Studying Psychology	66	(14)
7 Licensed to Phil	80	(15)
8 From the Couch to the Courtroom	95	(19)
9 Oprah Comes Calling	114	(15)
10 Becoming a Bestseller	129	(12)
11 Ready for the Spotlight	141	(14)
12 The Dr. Phil Show	155	(12)
13 Mass-Marketing Tough Talk	167	(16)
14 A Perfect Marriage	183	(14)
15 The Son Also Rises	197	(12)
16 Quick-Draw McGraw	209	(12)
17 Enjoying Celebrity	221	(12)
18 Dr. Phil's Life Laws for Success	233	(14)
Significant Events in Dr. Phil's Life	247	(4)
Acknowledgments	251	(2)
Source Notes	253	(28)
Index	281