Talking Back to Dr. Phil

David Bedrick is a process work psychologist who spent years quietly disagreeing with the brand of psychology that became popular through television personalities like Dr. Phil. Talking Back to Dr. Phil is his argument with that whole school of thought.

Bedrick’s claim is that the tough-love, you-need-to-take-responsibility approach often misses the underlying experiences that drove the behavior in the first place. Telling someone to just stop, or just choose differently, ignores the parts of them that aren’t choosing freely.

The book pulls examples from specific television segments and works through what Bedrick thinks the better, deeper response would have been. The tone stays respectful even when the disagreement is sharp.

For readers who have found the popular self-help shelf shallow, or who want a more depth-oriented approach to personal change, Bedrick offers a thoughtful corrective.