LOS ANGELES, Calif. --

Britney appeared calm when she was spotted on Sunday, picking up coffee and walking hand-in-hand with her paparazzi friend, but a source tells Access Hollywood, things are anything but placid for the pop star’s family.

A source close to the family has come forward with new details about the incident at Britney’s home on the night of January 3, when after a reported stand-off, Spears was taken to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and held on an involuntary psychiatric hold.

On that night, Kevin and Britney had a conversation after Britney reportedly locked herself in a room with their youngest son, Jayden James, a source close to the Spears family told Access Hollywood. While that conversation took place, Lynne Spears, Britney’s mother was on the phone with Kevin and the distraught mom heard every word her daughter said.

Britney “was hysterical and desperate,” the source told Access Hollywood of the situation.

Britney’s two young sons, Jayden James and Sean Preston “were terrified and traumatized,” over the situation the source added.

Meanwhile, more information has surfaced concerning Dr. Phil McGraw’s presence in the lives of the Spears family.

As previously reported on AccessHollywood.com, the television personality, visited Britney at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center on Saturday.

While the Spears family has been in contact with Dr. Phil for over a year, he was the one who reached out to the family – father Jamie and mother Lynne, originally, the source told Access.

On Monday morning, Dr. Phil posted a message on his Web site, saying he was canceling the taping of a special about Britney “because the Spears situation is too intense at this time, and out of consideration to the family, I have made the decision not to move forward with the taping at this particular time.”

According to the source, neither of Britney’s parents were going to take part in the special, but at one point, in the past, Lynne was receptive to talking publicly to Dr. Phil.

There was also a point where both parents “thought of doing a public plea,” to ask Britney to get help in a forum unrelated to Dr. Phil, but decided it was “not beneficial for her at [the] time.” The source added, “They don’t think it would be any help.”

“They’re desperate and want her to get help,” the source said, but “Britney has to do it herself.”

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