Biography
When asked about his greatest extravagance, Dr. Phil McGraw says it’s the time that he devotes to tennis. The world’s most sought-after mental health professional and life strategist says he plays seven to eight times a week, and he’s returning to the Chris Evert/Raymond James Pro-Celebrity Tennis Classic to put those skills on display for the first time since 2005. The host of the #1 daytime talk show “Dr. Phil” is in his 14th season providing the most comprehensive forum on mental health issues in the history of television. Dr. McGraw has a unique ability to take complicated and technical information and make it accessible and understandable to the general public. Dr. McGraw is the author of nine #1 New York Times bestsellers, published in 39 languages with more than 33 million copies in print. Raised in Oklahoma and Texas, McGraw earned a football scholarship to Tulsa as a 6’4” linebacker and finished his undergraduate studies in 1975 at Midwestern State University. He earned his doctoral degree in clinical psychology from the University of North Texas followed by a post-doctoral fellowship in forensic psychology from the Wilmington Institute. Like Chris Evert, he and his wife, Robin, are tireless advocates for children and families. Since 2003, when the couple established the Dr. Phil Foundation, many worthy projects have benefitted disadvantaged children and families. Additionally, The “Dr. Phil” Show has received 27 Emmy nominations and won five PRISM awards for the accurate depiction of drug, alcohol and tobacco abuse and addiction. In 2006, Dr. McGraw was honored by the American Psychological Association for his significant contributions. The McGraws live in Los Angeles and have two grown sons and a pair of grandchildren.