Lavena says her 17-year-old son, Trevor’s, anger is out of control, and despite seeing mental health professionals for years, his behavior is growing more aggressive and defiant. She says Trevor screams, curses and breaks things during his rages and has even threatened to shoot people -- and never shows remorse for his actions. She says she fears he could snap and kill her, her husband, her 5-year-old twins -- or become the next school gunman.
Fany and her husband, Markus, say they’re at their wits’ end with Fany’s 16-year-old daughter, Claire, who admittedly drinks, smokes marijuana and has sex with numerous partners. Dr. Phil has some tough questions for the teen about her choices — and for Fany and Markus about their parenting. How can Claire get back on track?
Former kindergarten teacher Cynthia says her life was torn apart when a classroom lesson led to her being convicted of official oppression, a misdemeanor, and sentenced to two years’ probation and 30 days in jail. Prosecutors claimed Cynthia told her students to line up and strike a 6-year-old boy, to teach him “how it feels to be bullied.” Cynthia says the whole ordeal was a big misunderstanding, and now she’s falsely labeled as a “bully teacher” — and might never lead a classroom again. How does she describe what happened that day?
Thirty-year-old Ashley admits she has an “extreme” anger problem and verbally and physically abuses her husband of eight years, Aaron — at times, in front of their 6-year-old son and 3-year-old daughter. She says she’s quick to become enraged, often screaming so loudly at Aaron that she loses her breath or blacks out — and she admits she once even punched him in the face while he was holding their baby. What’s at the root of her rage? And, why does Aaron — a former Marine who fought in the Iraq war — put up with this treatment? Plus, Ashley admits she also takes out her anger on her son by screaming in his face, and he’s now suffering from social and emotional issues. Dr. Phil sits the couple down in search of a resolution. Can Ashley learn to control her temper, for the sake of her children? And, can this marriage be saved?
In October 2013, Shay’s 19-year-old brother, Connor, was convicted of second-degree murder in the stabbing death of Shay’s boyfriend, Andrew, and sentenced to 20 to 60 years in prison. In a Dr. Phil exclusive, Shay and her parents share what they believe happened that night and why they feel Connor was acting in self-defense.
Lynn and Paul say their 20-year-old daughter, Loni, went from a straight-A student to a heroin addict, and they’re desperate to get her help. After two felony arrests — including one for allegedly selling heroin to an undercover officer — Loni spent 30 days in rehab, but they say it wasn’t long before they discovered she was using heroin again — and stealing money and jewelry from family members to pay for it. Now, Lynn and Paul say Loni is living in a trailer with strangers, in the middle of nowhere, and they fear for her life. Dr. Phil sends mother-son intervention team Debbie and Brandon to track down Loni and offer her a chance to face her family and make a plan for a healthier future. Will Loni grab onto the lifeline?
Sara says her ex-husband, Mark, has brainwashed their three grown children against her, and she just wants to reclaim a place in their lives. Mark and his new wife, Mikel, say they’re afraid of Sara but are willing to face her onstage with Dr. Phil. Can these exes put the past behind them and make peace? And, is Sara’s 22-year-old daughter willing to fix their broken relationship?
Dr. Phil taps into the spiritual world with help from the next generation of psychic mediums, Thomas John and Bill Philipps. When did they first realize they had psychic abilities? And, what messages will they have for guests, viewers, audience members and Dr. Phil staff? Then, recovering addict Kathie says her daughter, Whitney, refuses to forgive her for her past mistakes, and she wants to make amends. Whitney says her mother abandoned the family after Kathie’s mother passed away in 2002, leaving Whitney to fight for — and win — custody of her younger sister.
Exes Jeff and Valerie say they’re at a loss for how to help their 15-year-old daughter, Danielle, who they say has a history of lying, acting out and showing inappropriate sexual behavior. They say in kindergarten, Danielle began expressing herself sexually at school, and by second grade, was threatening physical harm and making sexually explicit comments to other students. They admit they have not been a united front while raising their daughter, who has been bounced around between them and her grandmothers while growing up.
Janette says in the past year, her husband, Clint, has turned into someone she doesn’t recognize. She says his temper is frightening, and he’s become mentally, verbally and physically abusive with her and their three children, and she’s afraid his behavior could turn deadly. Recently, Janette says one of their arguments escalated and ended with Clint choking her unconscious, while their 11-year-old son tried to pull his father off of her. Janette says there have been multiple incidents, and their children are now frightened of their father. Clint admits he has anger issues and gets physical with his wife but says she nags and provokes him until he snaps -- and he says she should be afraid of him when he’s angry.
Michelle Knight, the first of three women abducted by Ariel Castro and held for more than a decade, first appeared on Dr. Phil last year and revealed the true story of what happened inside Cleveland’s notorious house of horrors. Now, one year after being rescued, Michelle says she is stronger, happier and finally free — and joins Dr. Phil for the first time ever in front of a live studio audience.
Diane says her 17-year-old daughter, Brianna, is an out-of-control drug abuser who has run away from home at least five times and does not respect authority. She says she recently forced Brianna into a youth shelter, hoping it would scare the teen straight, but nothing has changed — and she fears for her daughter’s life. Diane also claims her ex-husband, Michael, abandoned Brianna after their divorce — and she feels that contributed to the teen’s downward spiral. How does Michael respond? And, what ownership does Diane take in the situation? Brianna says her mother is overreacting and insists she’s just living the partying lifestyle by using Xanax, Molly, marijuana, PCP, heroin and alcohol. But is there something deeper at play? Emotions run high when the family comes together on Dr. Phil’s stage — and an unexpected moment happens. Will Brianna realize the dangers she’s facing and get the help she needs?
Dr. Phil continues his exclusive interview with 16-year-old twins Georgia and Patterson Inman, heirs to the Duke tobacco fortune. How do they describe their relationship with their mom, Daisha, with whom they were estranged for most of their childhood? Then, Daisha opens up about her about her tumultuous relationship with the twins’ father, Walker Inman Jr., and why she says she was kept out of her children’s lives. Daisha, who is battling the bank for control of her children’s trust funds, which they gain access to when they turn 21, recently made headlines when she threatened to use an armed security team to scare away a process server. How does she answer to allegations that she is trying to drain the twins’ accounts and spend the money on lavish gifts? And, what do the kids have to say about their impending fortunes? Plus, Georgia and Patterson claim they survived years of abuse and neglect -- how can they move forward after the terror they say they endured?
In an exclusive interview, 16-year-old twins Georgia and Walker “Patterson” Inman, who, at 21, will reportedly inherit $1 billion as the only living heirs of the Duke tobacco fortune, open up to Dr. Phil about the abuse they claim they suffered for more than a decade. The twins were born into a family of prestige and extreme wealth -- vacationing on the beaches of Fiji, having wild animals as pets and bringing diamonds to school for show-and-tell -- but say their lives have been anything but privileged. After their parents divorced and their father, Walker Inman Jr., won custody, they claim they lived each day in a state of pure terror -- burned with boiling water, forced to live in a feces-filled basement and held prisoner behind dead-bolted doors. How do they say they survived years of alleged torture? Their father, whom they claim abused drugs, died of an overdose in 2010, and the teens were reunited with their mother, Daisha Inman, with whom they now live.