Episode 97: Finding Healing through Adopting a Dog with Author Carmen Leal

Jun 18, 2025

“What started out as a simple trip home from the beach ended in a five-car pileup started by an uninsured, inattentive driver while we sat waiting at a red light." This is the start of a story of brokeness, healing, and restoration from our guest, author Carmen Leal. On today's episode of the Music for the Soul Podcast, Carmen shares with us how she healed from the emotional heartbreak and physical pain of a traumatic brain injury by adopting a dog, which she named Coconut. 

 

Carmen explains just how deeply dogs can impact survivors of PTSD, trauma, anxiety, and heartbreak through their companionship and bonding, and how important it can be to just have another creature there walking alongside you through harder days. After discovering this restorational gift that dogs can bestow on peoples' lives, Carmen began working with us on a song we titled Love is Just a Wag Away. Through this project we aim to show that dogs are at their best when we are at our worst. 

 

Who is Carmen Leal?

Carmen Leal is a storyteller and the author of multiple books, articles, devotionals, and human-interest stories. Carmen relocated from Hawaii to Oshkosh, yes, there is a story behind the move, and has now become an awesome dog mom. Carmen and her husband have become reluctant gardeners and know a crazy amount about Wisconsin weeds. She is the mother of two sons, two incredible grandsons, and Coconut, the best imperfectly perfect rescue dog in the world.

Resources:

Our listeners can find both of Carmen's books on amazon at the link here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B0BGQQTFNH

Listen to Love is Just a Wag Away and watch the video on our website at the link here: https://www.musicforthesoul.org/resources/love-is-just-a-wag-away/