Here’s today’s dispatch from the crossroads of faith, media and culture.

Fighting the good fight. Dr. Gilda Carle is a noted relationship expert and author of 15 books (including Don’t Bet on the Prince!, How to WIN When Your Mate Cheats) who is known to TV viewers for her frequent appearances on NBC’s Today Show  and elsewhere.  She’s also president 501(c)(3) charity Country Cures, a unique organization that uses country music to train homeless female veterans in pre-employment skills.

According to Carle, homeless female vets comprise the fastest growing homeless population in America. She further notes that many are of them are  mothers and that the suicide rate of military children tops that of non-military kids. Additionally, female Vets comprise almost 15% of the military and are more likely to be unemployed than male vets.  Like their male counterparts, after the trauma of war, female vets need help sharpening their self-esteem, conflict management, and interpersonal communications.

The program utilizes country songs to help the female vets open up about various issue. For example, Miranda Lambert’s Baggage Claim) helps open a discussion on domestic violence.

Carle, who has been affectionately called “The Country Music Doctor,” says country music is well-suited to the mission of helping women soldiers deal with tough emotional issues because the songs tell relationship stories with which Female Vets identify. ŸIts string harmonics are even said to match the energy of the heart, small intestine, pericardium, thyroid, and adrenal glands. Also, country music artists often support the military and their music is familiar to female vets seeking connections based on truth, trust and love.

“I watched once-hopeless women happily complete self-assessments in Dr. Gilda’s book, Don’t Bet on the Prince!, while being touched deeply by Country Music’s stories,” says Learning Curve Career Center President Leslie Class-Hernandez whose company has affiliated with Country Cures to prep female vets for certification in the health industry, a particularly hot career sector where they often attain secure employment.

Here Dr. Carle herself talks about the program on the Country Cures website (where you can also donate to the cause):

Encourage one another and build each other up – 1 Thessalonians 5:11