Television’s “Dr. Phil” McGraw came Friday to the Downtown Plaza in Sacramento, speaking to a crowd of hundreds about family issues and promoting his show, which moved to a new channel.

He also made appearances at Westfield Galleria in Roseville and several television shows, including “Good Day Sacramento.”

He was there to promote the message he’s been spreading on billboards all over town of “Changing Lives, Changing Channels,” meaning that his show has moved to the new CW network, channel 31.

His show, now in its fifth season, deals with issues including weight loss, self esteem, and a variety of family crises.

During his appearance, he spoke a lot about family relationships, which is a favorite topic on his television show.

“We may not be the only voice in our children’s lives,” he said during his appearance. “But we have to make sure that we are the best voice in our children’s lives.”

Dr. Phil said, “Do not think for one minute that just because your kids roll their eyes when you talk to them that they’re not hearing you.”

Dr. Phil, an Oklahoma native, gained celebrity status after appearing on the Oprah Winfrey show, according to the Biography Channel. During the 1996 Amarillo Texas Beef Trial, Winfrey hired McGraw’s consulting firm to help her fight the lawsuit that had been brought against her.

According to the Biography Channel’s website, when Winfrey won, she brought McGraw on her show, whom she credited for her victory in the case.

Dr. Phil said, “We have an advisory committee on the Dr. Phil show that is made up of the leading minds in psychology, psychiatry, medicine…from around the world. So that when you guys give me a tough question, I can reach out to the top minds to figure out what’s going on.”

“I try to talk about (parent-child relationships) a lot on the Dr. Phil show, so that you guys don’t feel like you’re alone,” he said. “Somebody else gets that it’s tough raising a family in America today.”

Tom Roberts can be reached at [email protected]