I have seen this episode, and I did think it was horrible. I like Dr. Phil, especially when he is on somebody else's show, like Letterman. I usually agree with what he says. However, this episode sucked. My big problem is that he usually offers some kind of ongoing help after the show: rehab, counseling, referrals.... This episode just ended, leaving the transwoman sitting there going "Where do I go from here? My kids want me to detransition, and that is out of the question." The right solution should have been to gets the kids counseling to understand that what their father did was not a choice.
I think what we see in this episode is Phil responding to a greater priority. He's always saying, "You have to put your children first." In a different context, he might have been more supportive of the transwoman.