Dr. Phil

Parental Abuse?

(Original airdate: February 29, 2012) Dr. Phil's guests say they’re tired of enduring abuse from their grown children. First, Debbie says her 31-year-old daughter, Amy, is verbally and physically abusive toward her, steals from her and has even threatened to burn her house down. Amy, who lives in Debbie's home with her two children, admits she can be cruel to her mom but says Debbie is mean and critical and makes her feel like a failure. When tempers get hot, see who storms offstage! Can Dr. Phil help this mom and daughter broker a peace? Then, JoAnn says her son, Jonathan, a former corrections officer, treats her like an inmate, intimidates her with his size and scares her with his rage. She says he uses her grandson as a pawn to be spiteful toward her and worries the boy may get hurt in the crossfire. Jonathan admits he struggles with his anger, but blames his mother for constantly pushing his buttons. He says she needs to back off and let him parent his own son. Can Dr. Phil help them find common ground? Is your relationship with your adult child growing contentious? Tune in for tips on how to communicate more effectively.