Our Arklahoma Heritage: The home-spun witticisms of Dr. Phil have their roots in his Craig County background

Nestled in the prairies of northeast Oklahoma along Route 66, Vinita is a small town of about 5,200 people in Craig County. It's produced its share of famous names, from rodeo stars to highway pioneers.

But the biggest is Phil McGraw – better known as Dr. Phil.

Born on September 1, 1950, McGraw grew up amid oil fields and family challenges that shaped his direct, no-nonsense style. Now 75, with a new media company and decades of TV advice behind him, he still points to Vinita for teaching him grit, loyalty, and how to "get real."

Phil was born in Vinita's Craig County Hospital, the only son of Joe McGraw Jr., an oil equipment salesman with dreams of becoming a psychologist, and Jerry McGraw, a strong-willed homemaker.

He had three sisters: older ones Deana and Donna, and younger Brenda. The family moved a lot – from Vinita to Texas oil towns and Kansas – chasing Joe's career. Money was short, and Phil has been open about his dad's alcoholism, which forced him to act like the man of the house early on.

"Life's not fair, but you deal with it," he later said.

Vinita gave him stability. Summers meant swimming in the Neosho River and cheering at high school football games. The town's crossroads feel – with Highways 60 and 69 running through – matched his family's wandering life.

Nearby Eastern State Hospital, opened in 1913 as Oklahoma's first mental health center, was a big part of local life. It helped poor families with addiction and trauma – problems the McGraws knew too well.

Though Phil hasn't shared direct family links, the hospital's role likely influenced his later work in making mental health less taboo.A

s a teen, Phil was a big, athletic kid who earned a football scholarship at the University of Tulsa in 1968. His college career ended badly in a 100-6 loss to Houston, leading him to transfer to Midwestern State University in Texas.

There, he got a psychology degree, inspired by his dad. Both father and son went on to earn Ph.D.s – Joe in clinical psychology, Phil from the University of North Texas in 1979.

Family stayed central. His mom's discipline and sisters' teasing built his empathy.

.McGraw started in his dad's Kansas practice but found one-on-one therapy too slow. In 1989, he co-founded a trial consulting firm in Texas, using psychology to help lawyers read juries (the roots of the television series "Bull", which he later produced.) .

Fame hit in 1998 when Oprah Winfrey hired him as an expert in her beef lawsuit trial. His blunt style went viral

. In 2002, Dr. Phil launched, drawing millions daily with real-talk on relationships, addiction, and family drama. The show ran 22 seasons until 2023, plus books like Life Strategies and spin-offs like The Doctors.

His Oklahoma roots shine through: the drawl, the plain talk, the focus on fixing what's broken.

The Dr. Phil Foundation, started in 2003, gives millions to mental health and kids' programs – a nod to places like Eastern State Hospital

.Married to Robin since 1976 (after a short first marriage), McGraw has two sons: Jay, 43, a TV producer, and Jordan, 38, a musician. Grandkids keep him grounded in Beverly Hills, but holidays often bring him back to Oklahoma.

In 2018, he explored his genealogy and found Irish-Scottish roots like his Vinita ancestors – tough immigrants who built from nothing.

"Craig County gave me the foundation," he said.

As Vinita changes – with Route 66 drawing tourists to spots like Clanton's Cafe – Dr. Phil is its top export. From a kid slinging burgers at the A&W to a media mogul with Merit Street Media, he turned small-town lessons into a billion-dollar career.

Pull off at the Vinita exit sometime. Grab a float where young Phil worked.

In this unflashy town, a straight shooter was born – one still telling America to face their problems head-on. As he'd say: Get busy living, or get stuck on the couch.

For Dr. Phil, it's been a life of both.