California reportedly holds more than half of all unsheltered homeless people in the United States and the highest number of homeless encampments. Clusters of tent cities line almost every block. Beach paths, parks, underpasses and street dividers look like “Skid Row.” California’s problem is reflective of a growing national crisis, and now, major cities across the U.S. are taking aim at the issue by passing new laws that restrict where the homeless can camp. But, these new measures are sparking a heated debate. Dr. Phil is joined by a councilman who claims he has the solutions, as well as the Executive Director of the National Coalition for the Homeless. Plus, go inside some of Los Angeles’ most dangerous encampments, and hear from a homeless woman who says there is hope.

The search for a missing teen who may be the victim of sex trafficking; a girl says she was lured into sex trafficking by a man she met online; former athletes and assault survivors Jon Vaughn and Trinea Gonczar partner to fight sexual abuse.

Thousands of asylum seekers from the Mexican border arrived in Washington, D.C. and New York City on buses sent by the governors of Texas and Arizona. The mayors of these cities asked for federal assistance because they believe this is a humanitarian crisis. Should the United States make it harder for people to cross borders? Dr. Phil debates that with the National Border Patrol Council President Brandon Judd and immigration attorney Saman Movassaghi Gonzalez.

In June 2022, the United States Supreme Court stripped away constitutional protections for abortion that had stood for nearly a half-century. Pro-life supporters cheered on the ruling, while pro-choice supporters pledged to fight it. Now, in a post-Roe America, women are caught at the center of legal confusion because of these often-vague state laws. Nancy Davis says she was about 10 weeks pregnant when the fetus she was carrying was diagnosed with acrania, a fatal condition where the fetus’ skull does not form inside the womb. She claims she tried to have an abortion, but doctors denied her, because in her home state of Louisiana, abortions are banned. In an exclusive interview with Dr. Phil, Nancy and her partner, Shedric, reveal what she had to do to get a legal abortion. Nancy’s story is at the center of one of the decade's most controversial and heated debates: abortion. Today, hear from both pro-choice and pro-life advocates.

A mother says she was assaulted in front of her family at a fast-food restaurant, and a young man was beaten on a New York street in broad daylight. What do these incidents have in common? They were allegedly instigated by hate. In the U.S. in 2020, there were approximately 8,000 hate crimes reported to the FBI by law enforcement agencies. However, some Department Of Justice experts say they believe the number is closer to 250,000 per year. Dr. Phil speaks with parents, Gabriel and Nerissa, their daughter, Patricia, and their attorney, Sandy Roxas, who explain why they feel anti-Asian hate is often overlooked. The close-knit family says they are traumatized after a recent incident at a fast-food drive-thru involving a stranger who mocked them using a fake Asian accent.

Joey, a Jewish man, says he was assaulted in New York City by a gang who punched, kicked, and pepper-sprayed him on the street while shouting antisemitic slurs. Now, one year later, Joey says he’s tried to move on but still can’t understand that level of hatred. Find out what he says happened in the attack that made national news and landed Joey in the hospital. Then, Rabbi Aryeh Cohen shares some insight as to why hate crimes against Jewish people are sometimes ignored. Plus, meet a former white supremacist, Christian, who explains the psychology behind people who commit acts of violence due to extreme feelings of hate. And, Becky Monroe, Deputy Director of Strategic Initiatives and External Affairs for California, shares insightful information after tracking hate crimes across America, and law enforcement analyst Mark Powell explains why police officers do not immediately assume an incident is a hate crime, even with video evidence.

This episode is a must-see for every parent sending their child off to school. On May 24, 2022, Ana dropped her 10-year-old daughter off at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. Twelve hours later, she found out the tragic news that her daughter was one of the 19 children shot and killed. No matter what political side you support, no one wants to see another headline about one more horrific school shooting again. Dr. Phil is joined by Rudy Perez, president of the National Association of School Resource Officers, psychologist Dr. Jillian Peterson, and sociologist Dr. James Densley of The Violence Project to get to the bottom of how we can slow down these tragedies.

Jennifer says she had no idea her 11-year-old daughter was using he/him/they pronouns and a different name while at school. She claims this went on for months before it was brought to her attention. Jennifer says she believes she should have been involved in the conversation from day one, and questions whether school faculty members may have been encouraging her daughter’s transition. Dr. Phil invites experts Eli Erlick, Dr. Yalda Safai, and Asra Nomani to dive into the complex debate over gender identity and transgender inclusivity in schools today.

If you’re anxious because every trip to the grocery store and gas station cuts deeper into your budget, you are not alone. At 9.1 percent, inflation is at a 40-year high. With less supply and more demand for so many products, two-thirds of Americans are living paycheck to paycheck and are outraged over prices. To help, Dr. Phil is starting a series on how to survive inflation. Learn credit card tips, grocery ideas, and coupon tricks that could save you thousands! Today, Harvard-trained economist and Chief Economist of Instawork Dan Altman explains what is happening with the economy. Then, get budget tips from Jordan Page, a mother of eight who calls herself the Fun, Cheap, and Free Queen. You won’t believe some of the money-saving tips!

Dr. Phil delves into the dangerous fraternity rituals putting young men at risk. One of these young men, Danny Santulli, was at a fraternity pledging event at the University of Missouri in October 2021. By the end of the evening, Danny was in the hospital with a blood alcohol content six times the legal limit. He survived, but is no longer the Danny that everyone knew. He suffered severe brain damage, lost his eyesight, can no longer speak, feed himself or walk, and spends his days in a wheelchair being cared for by his family. Hear what happened the night everything went tragically wrong and see the shocking surveillance video. Plus, Danny’s family shares a glimpse into the aftermath of this tragic incident and how difficult life is day to day.

Dr. Phil takes you inside a fraternity hazing trial that made national headlines. Two former Bowling Green State University fraternity brothers have been sentenced for their part in the alcohol poisoning death of 20-year-old student Stone Foltz. Since this tragedy, Foltz has become one of the most prominent faces of this national epidemic. He was in his final days of pledging Pi Kappa Alpha when prosecutors say he and other underage pledges were encouraged to drink an entire bottle of liquor in order to be initiated into the brotherhood. Meet Foltz’s family and hear about the sentencing. Do they believe the punishment fits the crime? Plus, hear chilling testimony from Foltz’s fellow pledges and his girlfriend that give insight into his deadly initiation night.

An umpire gets punched in the face by an upset mother, a worker gets a drink thrown in her face over a 25-cent overcharge on cheese fries, a customer rips a cash register off the counter after an order was made incorrectly, and a man gets so angry on the road while driving that he ends up dead. It sometimes feels like it has gotten too dangerous to leave the house because people’s fuses are so short. What has happened to America? Why do people feel that they can do anything to anyone these days, that rules just don’t apply to them, and/or if they don’t like something, they have the right to intimidate, verbally abuse or even physically assault you? Dr. Phil speaks with people who have experienced firsthand when someone blows their fuse.

President Biden recently announced a three-part plan to provide more breathing room to America’s working families as they continue to recover from the strains associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. This plan offers targeted debt relief as part of a comprehensive effort to address the burden of growing college costs and make the student loan system more manageable for working families. The Education Department has indicated that around 8 million federal student loan borrowers who already have their income information on file with the Department will be eligible for automatic student loan forgiveness. However, this announcement kicked off a nationwide debate. Supporters praised the act as a landmark move to wipe out millions of student loan debt, while critics say the plan will increase inflation and does not address the underlying problem of soaring higher-education costs. Dr. Phil speaks with people on both sides of this issue.

When it comes to children and sports, many believe there is a huge problem with entitled athletes. Are athletes being coached to believe they are individually more important than their teams and that the rules simply don’t apply to them? Dr. Phil sits down with parents, athletes, coaches, and students who all say yes – but they strongly disagree about who is to blame. A coach claims parents are to blame due to modeling outrageous and entitled behavior. However, the sports parents in Dr. Phil’s audience push back, claiming coaches need to stop blaming them and start blaming themselves. Then, meet a referee who wrote an emotional email to parents informing them he was quitting due to their sideline behavior. And, a former all-American quarterback talks about the dark side of college sports. Plus, ESPN investigative reporter Paula Lavigne reveals some of what she has uncovered.

You’ve seen the headlines about student athletes being accused of sexual assaults and other egregious acts -- but are athletes being supported and protected by universities? Dr. Phil meets two women who claim they were sexually assaulted by college athletes and say there is a big double standard when it comes to athletes accused versus typical students. Bailey claims she was sexually assaulted by three basketball players but claims they were protected by the university. Then, Teresa says she knows firsthand the double standard when it comes to athletic preferential treatment because, even though the person who assaulted her was convicted, served time, and had to register as a sex offender, he was allowed to return to the field and was hailed as a star for another university. Plus, when an attorney claims athletes are the victims and their notoriety makes them easy targets for false accusations, he sparks an emotional debate.

Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid, is plaguing the country and killing some of the most vulnerable people: children and young adults. Not only are counterfeit prescription pills routinely laced with Fentanyl, but so are street drugs like cocaine and marijuana, which is killing people in masses. Feliz shares the tragic story of losing her sister, Karina, to a mass fentanyl poisoning that killed her and four other adults. Also, John, a father, says he watched both his sons overdose in his home after taking what they thought was Oxycodone but instead was a counterfeit pill laced with fentanyl. One of his sons survived and shares what happened on that fatal night.

Refusing to answer an email or call after working hours, not doing a work assignment you felt wasn’t in your job description, and insisting that if your employer wants you to go above and beyond, they need to pay you for it. Does that sound ridiculous? Quiet quitting, the idea that employees only do what is in their job description, between the hours they were hired to do it, and nothing more has become more than a viral social media hashtag; it has become a movement by employees of all ages. Dr. Phil speaks with an employment and labor attorney who says quiet quitting makes perfect sense, because if employers want employees to work extra, then they need to pay them extra. Then, hear from a young man who says he is currently quiet quitting. Why does he say he won’t put in extra effort without being paid for it? Plus, business owners say quiet quitters are just a bunch of slackers, undependable employees hiding behind a cute hashtag to make lazy sound better.

Cultural appropriation, to many, means people with a privileged status taking cultural identity markers from members of a minority community without permission or acknowledgment. This can include language, art, music, literature, clothing, food, beauty standards/traditions, social norms, customs, and values. So, does that mean that a Caucasian person can’t own a Chinese restaurant? Can a Latina wear braids or locks? Should children never wear Halloween costumes that depict another culture, ethnicity or race? When does admiration turn into appropriation, and is the argument against appropriation just? Does the anti-appropriation movement ever turn into a form of racism? Meet a young woman who says she received death threats for wearing a dress from another culture, a woman who says she was called out for cosplaying a Japanese anime character, and a woman who says people need to stop stealing other cultures' foods and calling them their own.

Dr. Phil sits down with Amy Hall, who explains how she and her husband, Allen, were blindsided when their 16-year-old son, Jed, vanished from their home in Idaho Falls, Idaho, in January 2018. Amy and Allen say they worked with the police and detectives to find Jed and finally accepted help from volunteers Jared Leisek and Doug Bishop from Adventure with Purpose, a search and recovery dive team who has helped to solve cold cases across the country. Dr. Phil sends a crew to Idaho Falls to follow the mystery of what happened to Jed. Then, retired law enforcement officer Frank Powell shares how regular citizens can help become volunteers to find missing people. And, past guest Mike Knabel, who along with his family has been searching for his daughter Andrea Knabel since she disappeared in August 2019, gives an update.

As Americans begin to emerge after two-and-a-half years of enduring the COVID-19 pandemic, the real toll of the decisions made by the government and politicians is starting to show in children, teens, and families across the nation. One mother says the closure of schools during the pandemic caused her daughter’s behavior to wreak havoc in their home as she struggled with online distance learning. A couple claims financial hardships took a toll on their family and caused an even further divide in their parenting decisions and relationship. And, a college freshman says she felt completely unprepared for her first year of school. Psychiatrist Dr. Charles Sophy joins Dr. Phil to help these people reclaim their relationships with tools from his new book, Family Values: Reset Trust, Boundaries, and Connection With Your Child.

Dr. Phil discusses the highly debated issue of whether or not the body positivity movement -- a belief system that embraces bodies of all shapes and sizes -- has gone too far. Since 2020, 36.5% of Americans have been considered overweight and 32.5% obese. Are we doing too much to celebrate the plus-sized? Not according to Lexi and her husband, Will, who say they’ve struggled with their body image their entire lives and have now found freedom in letting go of the need to control their weight and instead accepting themselves the way they are. Dr. Phil also meets YouTube personality John Glaude, who says he once believed in the body positivity movement until it almost killed him. Plus, Dr. Howard Liebowitz discusses the medical realities of being overweight, and nutritionist Kelsey Koehler offers tips to set practical goals for weight loss.

We’ve all heard of children being bullied in the schoolyard and teens being bullied online. But did you know that 48.6 million adults have been bullied as adults -- by adults -- at work? The bullying, which can take many forms, including exclusion from professional activities, verbal attacks, isolation, rumors, and humiliation, is often hard to prove and difficult to report, and there are few laws protecting against it. Meet a woman who claims that, after years of workplace bullying, she finally chose her physical and mental well-being over being able to pay her mortgage, so she quit her job. Then, another woman says, “The most cold, calculating, and unexpected villain a woman will ever come face to face with at work is another woman.” And, meet a man who claims that his workplace bully led him to contemplate taking his own life. Find out what stopped him. Plus, hear from a woman who alleges she was bullied when she worked for a multinational financial services company.

Should transgender athletes be allowed to compete with those of the gender they identify with or must they only compete with athletes who share the gender they were assigned at birth? Are laws that ban transgender women from participating in women's sports fair? LGBTQ+ activists have described criteria limiting transgender athlete involvement in gendered sports as "discriminatory.” Lia Thomas made headline news and stirred debate when she competed in swimming nationals as a transgender woman. Dr. Phil, along with Layne Ingram, a transgender man and basketball coach, and Olympic swimmer Nancy Hogshead-Makar, an advocate for girls and women in sports and CEO of Champion Women, discuss what they believe is right and fair. Then, Riley Gaines, who competed against Lia Thomas, gives her perspective on how she felt after their race. The big question is: what does the science say? Harvard professor Dr. Carole Hooven breaks it down.

Some believe self-censorship is a big problem today, particularly in light of the idea that someone can be "canceled" for their words -- blocked from having a prominent public platform or career for sharing their opinion. Dr. Phil interviews Nate, a former Idaho police officer, who claims he was fired after making a TikTok video about NBA superstar LeBron James that went viral and has been viewed over 4 million times. Nate explains how the fallout from the video affected him and his family, too. Dr. Phil also speaks with conservative political commentator Tomi Lahren, who says she recently had to be protected by state police from student protestors at the University of New Mexico. Greg Lukianoff, president of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, says he believes Americans have lost the ability to discuss their differences rationally.

The “self-censorship” debate continues. Meet Alejandro, a student who claims administrators at his community college violated his free speech rights. He says when he and members of the club Young Americans for Freedom posted flyers on campus, they were censored. Then, which public figures are fighting back against cancel culture? And, Dr. Phil takes a closer look at a list of terms that are now allegedly off limits. What words are on that list? Tune in to find out.