"Dr. Phil Housewives" Series and Updates on the "Dr. Phil Family"
Are All at the Forefront of the 2010-2011 Season

Hollywood, CA - September 1, 2010 - Dr. Phil McGraw returns for the ninth season of his nationally syndicated, daily one-hour series on Monday, September 13, 2010, with the launch of a season-long attack on the issue of domestic violence (check local listings). 

Dr. Phil pledges to take up this cause and will place it squarely in the center of his daily platform.  He's on a mission to expose how far reaching and extensive this problem is in society, and promises to make it a re-occurring theme for the 2010-11 year.   Beginning with the season's debut episode entitled "End the Silence on Domestic Violence," Dr. Phil will give teens, their parents and adults the tools they need to combat this disturbing problem.

"What's extremely troubling is that in many cases women and even our daughters don't know they are in danger until it's too late," said Dr. Phil.  "We're going to show women of all ages as well as parents what to look for in an abusive situation and give them the tools to get out safely."

On Tuesday, September 14, the show will premiere a special series entitled "Dr. Phil Housewives."  Dr. Phil and his award-winning producing team have chosen six women to share their personal life experiences in this multi-part series.  On the surface, these women look as if they have it all together - successful careers, good families, comfortable homes - but when America's most popular life strategist begins to peel away the layers as only he can, new revelations and even some life-threatening issues are exposed.  Tensions and raw emotions come to the surface and a healing process begins.   

"These six women all face different issues, challenges and types of problems, and they are on the show for different reasons," said Dr. Phil.  "One thing I know for sure is that our viewers will find themselves in one of these women."

One of the guests is Alana, a law school graduate with a dazzling smile.  That happy exterior, however, hides nearly 30 years of pain and emotional suffering due to being extremely overweight for most of her life.  She lost over 100 pounds following gastric bypass surgery, and rather than gain a sunny new outlook on life she finds herself in the middle of a painful divorce and fighting a constant battle with her judgmental personality. 

From the outside it would also appear that Kimm has it all; a beautiful family with live-in help is what people see.  What many don't realize is that she has spent most days these last seven years lying in bed - not due to a physical illness, but because she is not motivated to get up. 

The other women viewers will meet this season are:

-Gloria is a successful business owner and mother of two children.  Her goal is to find a soul mate, however, she admits her standards for men are high and knows she can be very intimidating to the opposite sex.

-Jennifer gave up her career as a deputy sheriff to stay home and raise her teenage son.  After recently discovering her husband was having an affair, she is dealing with the pain of a collapsing marriage, and remains unsure if she can overcome the bitterness and hatred she feels toward her husband.

-Michelle is a successful business owner who has been unsuccessful in her search for love and her last date was nearly two years ago.   

-Rachael is smart, attractive and well-educated, but her anger issues toward the men in her life are holding her back.

Dr. Phil will also give viewers updates on the popular "Dr. Phil Family."  Having first been featured in the fall of 2003, mother Erin, father Marty, and daughters Alexandra and Katherine returned to the show on a weekly basis last season.   At the end of 2009, Alexandra became pregnant with her third child and when viewers last saw her in May she was close to giving birth.  While the show won't feature the family as often as in the past, Dr. Phil has pledged his support to them if or when they need help.

Season nine will also mark a milestone for DR. PHIL as the show will tape its 1,500^th episode.  Over the past eight seasons, Dr. Phil and his staff have welcomed 10,402 guests and with the help of a network of 400 therapists provided 500,000 hours of therapy as well as $2.5 million in rehab services following guest appearances.  In addition, the Dr. Phil Foundation with support from the show's generous viewers, businesses and other foundations, has raised and granted in excess of $4.7 million over the last four years, to non-profit organizations nationwide who strive daily to provide healing and hope to communities and families across America. 

About DR. PHIL

The syndicated series, DR. PHIL, was created by Harpo Productions, and is produced by Peteski Productions in association with CBS Television Distribution. It is broadcast on 215 stations representing 100% of the country and airs in over 40 countries. Since its debut in September 2002, the series has been ranked second among all daytime talk shows and consistently ranks among the Top Ten of all syndicated strips (Source: NSS Ranking Report).

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