'American Idol' judge Kara DioGuardi hosts charity golf outing for Phoenix House

"American Idol" judge Kara DioGuardi has partnered with a substance-abuse organization called the Phoenix House to build music recording studios for young women in recovery from drugs and alcohol addiction.

"Basically I have this idea that when you're going through something like addiction, and you're trying to figure out what you're feeling and battle those emotions, music is a great vehicle for letting them come to the surface," Kara tells Golf Digest.

"I have seen the impact on kids who've had trouble divulging things in normal clinical therapy. When they go into the studio instead, it's the kind of safe haven that allows them to talk about things that they wouldn't otherwise talk about," she continues. "It's very helpful to their recovery."

Thus far, Kara has helped build recording studios in various Phoenix House facilities in Los Angeles, Yorktown, New York and Austin. She is also planning on opening one soon in Citra, Florida. To help raise funds for these facilities, Kara hosted a fundraising golf event Saturday, April 24 at Golden Hills Golf and Turf Club in Ocala, FL. Several LPGA players participated, including Brittany Lincicome (pictured, left) and Meredith Duncan.

The golf outing was followed by a gala dinner, where Kara performed a few songs she's co-written about abuse and also auctioned off two VIP tickets to the "American Idol" Season 9 finale.

Read the full interview at Golf Digest.

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More Kara DioGuardi dish:

Kara DioGuardi sings 'Terrified' on 'George Lopez'
Kara DioGuardi co-hosts 'Live with Regis and Kelly'
Kara DioGuardi and Elliott Yamin in Angola for 'Idol Gives Back'

Photo credit: Golf Digest