Dr. Phil McGraw | Dr. Phil with his granddaughter. | Source: Getty Images | Instagram.com/drphil
- Dr. Phil had to sleep in a car and sometimes on the streets during his childhood due to his father's alcoholism.
- His first marriage didn't last long, but he has been with the love of his life for decades.
- His two sons, Jay and Jordan, have given him four beautiful grandchildren.
- The famous psychologist has invested in several properties, but his primary residence is worth a whopping $30 million.
Phil McGraw is a famous television personality, author, and psychologist. He first found fame thanks to "The Oprah Winfrey Show," which led to the creation of his own program, "Dr. Phil," a colossal sensation nationwide.
Most people don't know that McGraw went to college on a football scholarship, but an injury derailed his path as an athlete, so he turned to psychology just like his father. He graduated from Midwestern State University in Texas and later earned his Master's and Ph.D. at the University of North Texas.
After school, his father, another partner, and he started a company focused on self-motivation and showing people how to live better. McGraw later started his practice but hated talk therapy and how long it took to deliver results.
Therefore, he began a career as a consultant, and in 1989, he started Courtroom Sciences, Inc. with an attorney friend. They offered mock trials, jury selection, etc., to real lawyers so they could study cases better. Many cases benefited from the services of that firm, and he developed an excellent reputation.
Dr. Phil McGraw (right) and wife Robin McGraw at the Paramount Pictures in Los Angeles, California. | Source: Getty Images
In 1996, Oprah Winfrey's legal team contacted him when the legendary TV host was sued, and his firm helped them win the case. Winfrey was so impressed that she invited him on the show, and audiences loved him.
He became a regular on the show for the "Change Your Life" segments, but then he earned more prominent spots due to his popularity. In 2002, he launched his show, produced by Winfrey's company, and the rest is history.
According to Celebrity Net Worth, McGraw has amassed a fortune of $460 million, as his show and several other ventures earned a salary of around $80 million at the height of his fame.
Aside from television, McGraw has written several books about psychology and his experience solving problems for people. It was announced that "Dr. Phil" will end in 2023 after 21 years as the king of daytime television in America. The psychologist said:
"I have been blessed with over 25 wonderful years in daytime television. With this show, we have helped thousands of guests and millions of viewers through everything from addiction and marriage to mental wellness and raising children."
His Difficult Childhood
It's hard to believe that someone so successful and famous worldwide came from horrible beginnings. McGraw appeared on "The Coach Mike Podcast" to talk about growing up and dealing with the dreadful consequences of his father's alcohol addiction.
The television personality said they moved around often because his father had such a big problem. McGraw tried to avoid him as much as possible, going so far as to enter his home through the bedroom window. While explaining his home life, he added:
"Well, yelling, screaming, violence. You know, domestic violence. Fights. Stuff torn up, stuff ripped off the walls. You know, just total chaos."
McGraw told Coach Mike that while his father wasn't drunk all the time, it happened at least once a week. That's why he would avoid his father by climbing through windows and not facing anyone in the house. When asked what kind of parenting his folks practiced, McGraw said:
"Uh, it was pretty passive. You know, my mother was a great lady, she was very nice. Never raised her voice to me her whole life, my whole life, until she passed away, but she was very passive."
When asked about his relationship with his sisters, the psychologist revealed he wasn't close to them. He was the only boy among his three sisters.
He said, "Well, I was the only boy, I guess, and we were all four years apart. So. That's a pretty big gap." When asked who he was closest to, Dr. Phil responded:
"Uh, my little sister Brenda, 'cause I was pretty protective of her. I always said they had us kids in pairs like the two older ones were kind of nutty, and then the two younger ones were pretty normal, so. We were kind of separated into pairs."
Therefore, McGraw had to fend for himself and became "very independent." He turned to sports and loved them because of the competition. McGraw further detailed:
"I mean, it was my currency at the time because when you grow up really poor, and we grew up really poor when we moved to Kansas City, just my dad and I moved there. My mother and sisters didn't go because we just couldn't afford it. There was no money for anything, and when I say anything, I mean anything."
Dr. Phil revealed that he and his father were homeless before his sophomore year of high school. He had briefly spoken about his situation before, but not in as much detail as in "The Coach Mike Podcast." In 2009, he said he and his father lived in a car for a while.
When asked if he ever talked to his father about the alcohol issue, McGraw said "no" and added, "There was nothing you could say to him to get him to quit drinking. […] Yeah, it wouldn't matter. He would wreck a car. It didn't matter. He'd be drinking the next day."
He and his father later stayed in a $5 room at the YMCA until his father managed to save the deposit for their apartment. However, when they finally moved, they didn't have money for gas, electricity, or water. They lived like that in a one-bedroom place for several months before they finally got heating.
That means they survived the Kansas City fall season and part of winter without anything to help them from the cold. The television personality added that he didn't have good clothes either at school, which still haunts him today.
Dr. Phil also shared part of his story on his show, recalling, "I've been homeless. I've lived on the streets of Kansas City... I've slept in a cardboard box." He was talking to one of the day's patients and said that his father was so irresponsible he made the guest look like "a choir boy." He added:
"Don't let the suit fool you."
But his challenging experiences helped him tend to others and listen to their problems with solutions in mind. He told Coach Mike:
"There are people on there with family problems, I get it. People that have lived in domestic violence, I get it. There are people that have dreams and have had to overcome obstacles, I get it. Yeah, I'm a father. I get that. I'm a parent, I get that. I've been married 43 years, I get that. I've had a pretty rich life experience-wise. It's not like -- I know psychologists that lived with their parents, went to college, still living with their parents."
His Romantic Life and Children
Dr. Phil has been married twice. His first wife was Debbie Higgins. They walked down the aisle in 1970, and she was just 20. The couple had been high school sweethearts as McGraw was a football player, and Higgins was a cheerleader. But their marriage lasted just three years, as Robin claimed McGraw was unfaithful during their relationship.
Higgins eventually became an editor and worked on several films, including "Demon Hunters: Fear the Silence." Unfortunately, she passed away in 2014 from cancer. Dr. Phil found the love of his life in Robin McGraw after annulling his marriage with Higgins.
They tied the know in 1976 and have been together since then. She became a philanthropist, advocating for women's rights. Robin founded When Georgia Smiled: The Robin McGraw and Dr. Phil Foundation and is on the board of her husband's organization.
She has also spoken for organizations that protect abused and neglected kids in courts and other situations. Robin and McGraw had two boys in their life, Jay Phillip McGraw, on September 12, 1979, and their second son, Jordan McGraw, on October 21, 1986.
Like his father and grandfather, Jay studied psychology and became a producer. Dr. Phil helped him create Stage 29 Productions in 2005. The company, still run by Jay, made shows such as "Dr. Phil and Bull." Meanwhile, Jordan is a musician.
In 2014, Robin talked about the secret to her lasting relationship with Dr. Phil:
"We don't fight, and it's because we had a conversation early on, and I told him that it's not natural for me to be in a house where people are screaming and yelling – my parents didn't do it, I don't do it and I don't want to live in a house like that."
His eldest son married model Erica Dahm in 2006, and they've given their parents two grandchildren: Avery and London. Meanwhile, Jordan married Morgan Stewart in 2020 and had their first daughter, Row Renggli, shortly afterward. In 2021, they announced they were expecting again and welcomed their son, Grey Oliver.
The proud grandfather celebrated Jordan's first child with several posts on Instagram. He wrote, "We are so proud of you and Morgan! Another grandbaby, yay! #granddaughter." Meanwhile, Robin joined the merriment with her own caption:
"It's official!!! We're having another grandbaby!!! It's a precious girl!!! We love you, Jordan and Morgan."
Morgan Stewart, a television personality, opened up later about what being a mom of two was like. She celebrated her second wedding anniversary with Jordan McGraw and explained:
"I was thinking about this time last year, and then obviously, it hit me that I didn't have a whole other human — my son — so it was just a little bit more laid back, and Row was a lot younger as well."
Dr. Phil's $29.5-Million Mansion
After his childhood experience, it makes sense that Dr. Phil never wanted his own family to be homeless. Thanks to his great success, he owned some of the country's most remarkable properties. However, his main house is the most beautiful.
A screenshot of Dr. Phil's house from "Dr. Phil | House Tour 2020 | $29.5 Million Beverly Hills Mansion & More" | Source: Youtube.com/Famous Entertainment
He currently lives in a mansion in Beverly Hills with his wife. He bought it for $29.5 million in 2011, and it's more secluded than many houses in the Los Angeles residential areas. It's located on a tall hill and has a fantastic view of Century City, California.
It's an Alamo-design estate with a terracotta roof and wrought-iron finishes, giving it a more European style than other homes. It has five bedrooms, nine bathrooms, two half-baths, a spacious kitchen, several living rooms, and Dr. Phil's office.
There's also a pool on the grounds, a tennis court, and one of the best gardens in the world. If you check out McGraw's Instagram, you can see his entire family enjoying the property at parties, holidays, and more. He and his wife get to spoil their grandchildren whenever they visit.
Other features include vaulted ceilings, modern decorations, artwork, and wooden beams. One of the living areas has enough room for several sofas and big flat screens. Even their dogs can run around. They also have a bar area with high stools.
A screenshot of Dr. Phil's house from "Dr. Phil | House Tour 2020 | $29.5 Million Beverly Hills Mansion & More" | Source: Youtube.com/Famous Entertainment
Their kitchen has the best technology regarding appliances, marble countertops, and a huge island surrounded by white cabinets. Before Dr. Phil bought the property, they used to live in another Beverly Hills mansion.
It had many bedrooms, bathrooms, and amenities but it wasn't enough for the growing family. At the time, Jay was the only one with children. But they knew their family would continue to expand, so they needed to be prepared. Their latest home has a separate guest house, so their families can have privacy even when they visit.
Robin also has experience in home décor, so she took charge of making their newer mansion a beautiful place where everyone could feel welcomed. Every room is efficient and pleasing in equal measure.
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