As a 17-year-old college sophomore, Phil found himself as the sounding board for two guys who were fighting over a girl. Without doing much more than listening, Phil watched the trouble resolve itself in front of his eyes. As the guys walked away laughing with each other, Phil knew life had spoken to him and he had found his calling.
He graduated from City College in New York and received his MD from New York University. After working as a prison psychiatrist on Rikers Island and then in private practice in New York, he moved to sunny Los Angeles where he has been practicing since 1982.
Together with Barry Michels, Phil Stutz is coauthor of Coming Alive: 4 Tools to Defeat Your Inner Enemy, Ignite Creative Expression, and Unleash Your Soul's Potential and The Tools: 5 Tools to Help You Find Courage, Creativity, and Willpower—and Inspire You to Live Life in Forward Motion, a New York Times bestseller.
Referred to as “the most sought-after shrinks in Hollywood” by Lawrence O’Donnell and “an open secret in Hollywood” by the New Yorker, Barry and Phil’s client list boasts top writers, actors, producers, CEOs, and other creatives. In their books and public events, they share the same Tools they use behind closed doors with their clients.