I looked on Dr. Phil's Web site to see what his credentials are - I didn't realize that his Ph.D. is in psychology...
Quote Originally Posted by Dr Phil.com
M.A. and Ph.D. in clinical psychology from North Texas State University with a dual area of emphasis in clinical and behavioral medicine.
How did he get involved with Britney Spears? Did her family ask him to evaluate her?

The times I've seen his show where he works with family situations and children involved, he seems to always have the children's interests in mind. He'll keep coming back to that as he talks. I've also seen him bring on an attorney or a physician as a guest to contribute to the discussion. Sometimes the family won't like his recommendations, though.