The Dr. Phil Podcast

Kary-Ann Parkinson let her 5-year-old son Sam walk half a mile alone to a pond in their Williamsburg, Virginia, gated community. Now she's a convicted criminal, placed on Virginia's Child Abuse and Neglect Central Registry for 7 years for trusting her own kid. Dr. Phil breaks down the case, dividing parents: is this justice, or the criminalization of independence? Chapter compares every Medicare plan nationwide for free to recommend coverage based on your doctors, prescriptions, and budget. Call 352-845-0659 or visit https://chapter.com/phil . *Paid Partnership This episode is brought to you by Preserve Gold, call 844-718-2642 or text ASK PHIL to 50505 for your free wealth protection guide. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Beni Sabti lived under the Iranian regime—and risked everything to escape it. Now a leading Iran expert, he joins Dr. Phil to share what life is really like inside the country, why protests keep erupting, and whether the regime could fall in our lifetime. From nuclear threats to propaganda campaigns, Sabti breaks down what Americans need to know—and what could come next. This episode is brought is brought to you by Preserve Gold, call 844-718-2642 or text ASK PHIL to 50505 for your free wealth protection guide. This episode is brought to you by: Chapter compares every Medicare plan nationwide for free to recommend coverage based on your doctors, prescriptions, and budget. Call 352-845-0659 or visit https://chapter.com/phil. *Paid Partnership See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

A family massacre. A teen charged. And ChatGPT, an alleged accomplice. A 17-year-old in Massachusetts is charged with murdering his mother and 14-year-old brother after investigators found he'd used ChatGPT to search "fantasy stories" about killing them. It's the 4th murder case now linked to AI chatbots. Is the technology to blame? We go back 50 years to teens blamed for murder over playing records backward to answer that question. Plus the warning signs every parent needs to see before it's too late. If you or someone you know is in crisis: call or text 988. This episode is brought to you by: Preserve Gold — call 844-718-2642 or text ASK PHIL to 50505 for your free wealth protection guide. This episode is brought to you by: Chapter compares every Medicare plan nationwide for free to recommend coverage based on your doctors, prescriptions, and budget. Call 352-845-0659 or visit https://chapter.com/phil . *Paid Partnership See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Dr. Phil sits down with neuroscientist and educator Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath for a wake‑up call every parent needs to hear. Across the country, kids are more distracted, more anxious, and less interested in school, even as classrooms fill up with laptops, tablets, and “learning” apps.​ Dr. Horvath issues a chilling warning: the very school devices families were promised would boost achievement may actually be quietly eroding children’s attention, memory, and motivation. He and Dr. Phil expose how classroom tech can blunt deep thinking, lower test scores, and reshape developing brains in ways most parents never see coming.​ In this urgent, brain-based conversation, Dr. Phil pushes for straight answers and simple, powerful steps parents can take right now—at home and at school—to protect their child’s focus, learning, and future before more damage is done. Brought to you by SleepCreme: The foundation of health begins with sleep. Claim your exclusive Dr. Phill offer here: https://sleepcreme.com/ Brought to you by Preserve Gold, call 844-718-2642 or text ASK PHIL to 50505 for your free wealth protection guide. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

With their hands full grooming dogs and their phones ringing nonstop, the new owners of an established dog-grooming business turn to HighLevel and Dr. Phil for help attracting new customers and keeping their growing business on track. Learn how to build a business that serves your life, not one that consumes it. Sponsored by HighLevel: If you own a small business, don’t skip this. Reclaim your life. Automate your business. Transform your overwhelmed business into an automated powerhouse in just minutes. Visit: https://DrPhil.com/Business and get your life back on track. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Another Epic UAP Failure. Dr. Phil breaks down why 93% of Americans have no official way to report a UFO/UAP sighting. Thousands of civilian UAP reports sit untouched while the government turns a blind eye. In today's Real Story, Dr. Phil exposes the broken UAP reporting system: no public reporting channel through AARO or PURSUE, 1,855 "Tier One" credible UFO sightings sitting in NUFORC's database, and two former U.S. presidents (Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan) who saw UFOs with nowhere to report them. Brought to you by Preserve Gold, call 844-718-2642 or text ASK PHIL to 50505 for your free wealth protection guide. Brought to you by SleepCreme: The foundation of health begins with sleep. Claim your exclusive Dr. Phill offer here: https://sleepcreme.com/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

She wasn't just a country legend — she was family we never met. Dolly Parton's passing revealed a real psychological phenomenon: parasocial grief, the one-sided bond that makes losing a stranger feel like losing a loved one. From the wildfire relief fund she launched in 48 hours, to the Imagination Library that's put hundreds of millions of free books in kids' hands, to a million-dollar check written out of her own pocket after Hurricane Helene — Dolly proved family isn't about blood, it's about who shows up. This is The Real Story on why the world grieved her like kin. 💔🎶 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

21 days of testimony. Seven days deadlocked. And the Lindsey Clancy jury still couldn't agree. Everyone's got an opinion on this case. But Dr. Phil says most people watching had no idea what the jury was actually deciding. He breaks down the real legal test, why 11 of 12 jurors sided with her, and how "hired gun" witnesses turn tragedies like this into a battle of the experts. But here's what should actually scare you: postpartum psychosis. Not depression. Not the baby blues. A psychiatric emergency that can hit a new mother — and Dr. Phil lays out the exact warning signs before it's too late. He also connects it to a chilling case in Illinois that suggests this story may already be repeating itself. *Brought to you by Preserve Gold — call 844-718-2642 or text ASK PHIL to 50505 for your free wealth protection guide.* See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Stop kidding ourselves. Iran's terrorist regime has hated America from day one — and the past is the clearest proof of what's coming next. Sponsored by Preserve Gold: Get up to $20,000 in FREE Gold & Silver with a qualified purchase. CALL: 844-718-2642 Text ASKPHIL to 50505 or visit https://DrPhilgold.com Sponsored by SleepCreme: The foundation of health begins with sleep. Claim your exclusive Dr. Phill offer here: https://sleepcreme.com/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

October 7, 2023 was the deadliest day for Jewish people since the Holocaust. Nearly three years later, survivors are still fighting to be believed. Nova Music Festival survivor Noa Beer escaped a terrorist ambush, pulled wounded strangers into her car, and received a chilling voice note during the attack itself. Now she joins Dr. Phil to respond directly to a mainstream media report that reignited a firestorm over media accountability, antisemitism, and whose trauma gets believed. Sponsored by Preserve Gold: Get up to $20,000 in FREE Gold & Silver with a qualified purchase. CALL: 844-718-2642 Text ASKPHIL to 50505 or visit https://DrPhilgold.com Sponsored by Chapter: Don’t wait! If you’re on Medicare or will be soon, reach out to Chapter: CALL: 352-845-0659 or go to https://askchapter.org to learn about your Medicare options and get help finding ways to save money. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Burned-out teachers making 73 cents on the dollar. Overworked, underpaid, and walking out the door 7 in 10 quit within five years. This is your kid. Your classroom. Right now. Dr. Phil says it's time to stop talking about fixing education and start doing it. Sponsored by Preserve Gold: Get up to $20,000 in FREE Gold & Silver with a qualified purchase. CALL: 844-718-2642 Text ASKPHIL to 50505 or visit https://DrPhilgold.com Sponsored by HighLevel: If you own a small business, don’t skip this. Reclaim your life. Automate your business. Transform your overwhelmed business into an automated powerhouse in just minutes. Summer of AI Is Here! Get 5 FREE AI Tools All Summer Long. Visit: https://DrPhil.com/Business and get your life back on track. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Dr. Phil discusses the dangerous and deadly national takeover trend that thousands of teens and young adults are participating in throughout small towns, and big cities, across the country. A trend that is being promoted on social media and results in hundreds of minors and young adults taking over streets, beaches, parks, malls, and even abandoned properties. Dr. Phil sits down with parents, Terri and Ivan, who say they had never heard the words "Teen Takeover," until it was too late. Tragically, their beautiful and loving 17-year-old daughter, Ali, lost her life after being shot while caught in the middle of crossfire, at a teen takeover party she was attending. Dr. Phil will also speak with Volusia County Sheriff, Michael Chitwood, who has vowed to go after the promoters of these takeovers, as well as Polk County Sheriff, Grady Judd, who has not minced words when it comes to holding parents civilly and possibly criminally accountable for their teen’s takeover behavior. Sponsored by Preserve Gold: Get up to $20,000 in FREE Gold & Silver with a qualified purchase. CALL: 844-718-2642 Text ASKPHIL to 50505 or visit https://DrPhilgold.com Sponsored by Chapter : Don’t wait! If you’re on Medicare or will be soon, reach out to Chapter: Call: (352)-845-0659 or go to https://askchapter.org to learn about your Medicare options and get help finding ways to save money. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, are moving back to England after 6 years away and it's bigger than a headline about the royals. Dr. Phil breaks down the real story behind their reconciliation: why family estrangement happens, what it actually takes to come back together, and why so many of us wait too long to make the first move. If you've ever pushed someone away and wondered if it's too late to fix it, this one's for you. Sponsored by Preserve Gold: Get up to $20,000 in FREE Gold & Silver with a qualified purchase. CALL: 844-718-2642 Text ASKPHIL to 50505 or visit https://DrPhilgold.com Sponsored by Chapter : Don’t wait! If you’re on Medicare or will be soon, reach out to Chapter: Call: (352)-845-0659 or go to https://askchapter.org to learn about your Medicare options and get help finding ways to save money. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

20 years ago, Warren Jeffs, the self-proclaimed prophet and leader of a polygamist and religious sect, called the FLDS, was captured – leading to a conviction, and life sentence for aggravated sexual assault against two minor females. But one year prior to Jeffs apprehension, Dr. Phil received a guest submission that introduced him to 2 teenage girls, both named Fawn, who claimed to escape the religious sect. At just 16 years old, both girls, in the middle of the night, claimed they ran away from their families who were embedded in the FLDS community. Both Fawns claimed that if they hadn’t escaped, they would have been forced to become teenage brides to older men, and immediately begin having children. But although they were safe, both teenage girls admitted were feeling pulled to return home. Today, Dr. Phil speaks with one of the Fawns, now almost 40 years old, to see how she is doing over 2 decades after their first meeting. Plus, Fawn was only 18 years old when Dr. Phil first met her, now she has an 18-year-old daughter of her own, find out how she feels about her mother's inspiring story of survival. Sponsored by Preserve Gold: Get up to $20,000 in FREE Gold & Silver with a qualified purchase. CALL: 844-718-2642 Text ASKPHIL to 50505 or visit https://DrPhilgold.com Sponsored by Chapter: Don’t wait! If you’re on Medicare or will be soon, reach out to Chapter: CALL: 352-845-0659 or go to https://askchapter.org to learn about your Medicare options and get help finding ways to save money. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

20 years ago, Warren Jeffs, the self-proclaimed prophet and leader of a polygamist and religious sect, called the FLDS, was captured – leading to a conviction, and life sentence for aggravated sexual assault against two minor females. The FLDS has been described by numerous experts, news outlets, and survivors as a dangerous cult, where young girls, many of whom were minors, were being forced to marry men three times their age, and bare as many children as physically possible. But one year prior to Jeffs apprehension, Dr. Phil received a guest submission that not only placed his focus on Warren Jeffs, but also introduced him to 2 teenage girls who claimed to escape the religious sect, a decision they feared may have been a mistake. Today, Dr. Phil reflects back on that pivotal episode, and shares never before details about how he prepared to help prevent both teenage girls from returning to the FLDS, and the alleged abuse they claimed was occurring. Sponsored by Preserve Gold: Get up to $20,000 in FREE Gold & Silver with a qualified purchase. CALL: 844-718-2642 Text ASKPHIL to 50505 or visit https://DrPhilgold.com Sponsored by Chapter: Don’t wait! If you’re on Medicare or will be soon, reach out to Chapter: Call: (352)-845-0659 or go to https://askchapter.org to learn about your Medicare options and get help finding ways to save money. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Is holding your child back a grade really the key to gaining an edge in youth sports? Dr. Phil examines the growing trend of “reclassing,” where parents delay a child’s academic progression in hopes of creating a competitive athletic advantage. With NIL deals and direct college payments dramatically increasing the financial stakes of amateur sports, Dr. Phil explains why more families may be tempted to view an extra year as an investment in their child’s future. But for most young athletes, he argues the potential academic, emotional, social, and financial costs can outweigh the benefits. The goal should not be athletic status at any cost. It should be raising confident, healthy kids whose happiness and self-worth are bigger than the scoreboard. Thank you to our sponsors: Sponsored by Preserve Gold: Get up to $20,000 in FREE Gold & Silver with a qualified purchase. CALL: 844-718-2642 Text ASKPHIL to 50505 or visit https://DrPhilgold.com Sponsored by Chapter: Don’t wait! If you’re on Medicare or will be soon, reach out to Chapter: CALL: (352)-845-0659 or go to https://askchapter.org to learn about your Medicare options and get help finding ways to save money. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Dr. Phil argues that American schools are masking declining academic achievement through grade inflation, lowered proficiency standards, generous grading floors, and pressure to pass students, leaving parents and students unaware of their actual capabilities. He cites falling standardized-test and reading scores, remedial college placement among high-school graduates with high GPAs, and international performance gaps as evidence that diplomas increasingly fail to represent mastery. He also warns that excessive classroom technology may weaken learning by replacing handwriting, deep processing, and independent problem-solving. He urges parents to independently assess their children’s reading and math skills, calling for an education system that prioritizes genuine competence over graduation rates and funding incentives. Thank you to our sponsors: Get up to $20,000 in FREE Gold & Silver with a qualified purchase. Text ASKPHIL to 50505 or visit https://DrPhilgold.com Here's my take: mindless scrolling is a habit. BINGO is a lifestyle. Time to upgrade. Download Bingo Blitz” https://bingoblitz.onelink.me/789120864/vxx2327 See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Dr. Phil discusses how young adults, specifically teens, are being targeted online by sophisticated predators who work to entice victims into sharing explicit photos or video of themselves, and once the content is sent, the second part of the plan ensues and the threats begin … it’s called Sextortion. The sextortionist will threaten to share the images everywhere if the victim doesn’t comply with their demands which can include sending more images, money, and sometimes convincing victims to commit sadistic acts, self-harm and even suicide. Dr. Phil sits down Adam, a devoted and caring father who says he had never heard of the word Sextortion, until it was too late. Tragically, only 7 months ago, Adam’s 15-year-old son Bryce, a remarkable young man, with an unbelievably close relationship with both of his parents, ended his life, less than three hours after being contacted by on an online predator. Sponsored by Preserve Gold: Get up to $20,000 in FREE Gold & Silver with a qualified purchase. Text ASKPHIL to 50505 or visit https://DrPhilgold.com Sponsored by Chapter: Don’t wait! If you’re on Medicare or will be soon, reach out to Chapter: Call: (352)-845-0659 or go to https://askchapter.org to learn about your Medicare options and get help finding ways to save money. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Dr. Phil examines the disturbing case of Lindsay Clancy, the Massachusetts mother charged with killing her three young children, and the critical question at the center of the case: Were warning signs of a severe postpartum mental health crisis missed? He breaks down postpartum psychosis, how it differs from postpartum depression and the “baby blues,” and the potentially dangerous symptoms including hallucinations, delusions, extreme insomnia, disorganized thinking, and loss of contact with reality. As the defense prepares to argue that postpartum psychosis and multiple psychiatric medications contributed to the tragedy, prosecutors are expected to point to Clancy’s alleged planning and coordination as evidence she understood her actions. His analysis focuses on the larger question beyond the courtroom: When a new mother shows escalating red flags, who is responsible for recognizing the danger and acting before it is too late? Sponsored by Preserve Gold: Get up to $20,000 in FREE Gold & Silver with a qualified purchase. Text ASKPHIL to 50505 or visit https://DrPhilgold.com Sponsored by Chapter: Don’t wait! If you’re on Medicare or will be soon, reach out to Chapter: Call: (352)-845-0659 or go to https://askchapter.org to learn about your Medicare options and get help finding ways to save money. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .

Everyone knows the Idaho murders. Tonight, you meet Kaylee's mother. Kristi Goncalves is the one who got the knock on the door ... the one who asked the deputy if the other girl was Maddie, her daughter's best friend. Tonight, she tells her story in her own voice: the online trolls who wounded her most, the plea deal her family fought, and the moment she looked her daughter's killer in the eye and told him hell would be waiting. But this isn't only a story about loss ... it's about what she built from it. In her darkest days, a stranger started sending her cards, one mom to another. Out of that friendship, Kristi and retired cop Tracie Brocco ... two women who've never met in person ... created Murder Has a Name, funding the same DNA technology that caught Kaylee's killer for the cold cases that can't afford it. Because as Kristi says: "Getting that name ... this is who did this to your child ... it's everything.” For more information about The Kaylee Goncalves Foundation & Murder Has a Name: https://www.murderhasaname.com/ Sponsored by: Preserve Gold: Get up to $20,000 in FREE Gold & Silver with a qualified purchase. Text ASKPHIL to 50505 or visit https://DrPhilgold.com HighLevel: If you own a small business, don’t skip this. Reclaim your life. Automate your business. Transform your overwhelmed business into an automated powerhouse in just minutes. Summer of AI Is Here! Get 5 FREE AI Tools All Summer Long. Visit: https://DrPhil.com/Business and get your life back on track. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info .