Totally just my opinion here.....Dr. Phil has a confrontational style that pleases people. Bottoms can be made worse by continuing to dig. And the Courts order people to AA and Al-Anon in hopes of saying, "You've gone low enough." Sometimes it works. Sometimes it doesn't.
So I don't take his approach as opposing the 12 Steps. I know when I came to Al-Anon, I first thought that I wasn't suppose to mention the drinking problem ever again. Later I realized it was a case of when, how, and managing my expectations that made the difference.
My other opinion about his approach is that he's a bit naive. One show I saw where they sent the girl to rehab is an example. I know people whose kids have been in rehab 4 and 5 times! He acted like the problem was fixed.
Interventions do work sometimes. But the rate of success isn't convincing.
Anyway.......just my 2 cents.
I still do enjoy his question, "How's that working for you?" That's very "programesque"!