Arts in Health: Military Spouse Well-being Study Overseas
- Jennifer Foster Richardson
- Dec 5
- 4 min read
When I first started teaching watercolor to U.S. military spouses living in England, I knew these women needed more than just an art class. They needed connection, creative expression, and a space to breathe. What I didn't anticipate was the depth of transformation that would unfold—or how powerfully it would demonstrate the urgent need for arts programming in underserved military communities.
The Hidden Struggle of Military Spouses Overseas
Life as a military spouse is demanding. Add overseas assignments, and the challenges multiply exponentially—frequent relocations, deployments, isolation, limited employment opportunities, and the emotional weight of supporting their service members through difficult experiences.
Each move strips away the familiar: friends, community, routines. Research shows this ongoing disruption can fragment one's sense of identity and seriously impact well-being. While domestic military communities in the U.S. have access to numerous arts and wellness programs, spouses stationed overseas face a significant gap in services. The lack of funding, civilian community support, and qualified civilian providers who understand military culture leaves these women without the help they desperately need.
That's where Art For Your Heart came in.
The Program
As an Arts in Health graduate student and retired military spouse, I designed a six-week watercolor workshop series at The Reading Room in Eriswell Village. The response was immediate and overwhelming—35 spouses registered within the first 24 hours, revealing just how hungry this community was for this type of program.
The intervention included weekly 90-minute sessions with professional instruction, community engagement through facilitated discussions, and a gallery night finale where participants displayed their work. Each session averaged 18 participants, creating a vibrant, supportive atmosphere where women could connect with others who truly understood their unique challenges.
The Results: Numbers That Tell a Story
Of the 35 women who initially registered, 10 completed both pre- and post-intervention assessments, attending between one and six sessions. The results were remarkable. Using the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale (WEMWBS)—a validated measure of emotional, cognitive, and psychological well-being—participants showed an average improvement of 10.4 points, jumping from 45.5 to 55.9.
To put this in perspective: the U.K. national average well-being score is 51 points. Before the workshops, 70% of participants scored below that benchmark. After just six weeks, only 10% remained below average, and 20% reached the "high well-being" category. This dramatic shift demonstrates the measurable impact accessible arts programming can have.
What Participants Experienced
Through end-of-session comment cards, four powerful themes emerged:
Learning new skills – Participants discovered the joy of developing artistic abilities, watching their growth week by week. One woman shared, "I never thought I could paint, but now I can't wait to try more."
Improved well-being – Words like "relaxing," "joyful," and "confidence-building" appeared repeatedly. Participants noticed tangible reductions in stress and increases in happiness.
Community connection – The chance to connect with others who understood their unique circumstances created a much-needed sense of belonging that many had been missing since their last move.
Looking forward to class – The workshops became an anchor of positivity, something participants eagerly anticipated each week in lives often dominated by uncertainty and stress.
Why This Matters
This study demonstrated that accessible, community-based arts programs can significantly improve well-being for military spouses living overseas—a population largely overlooked in both arts programming and research.
The benefits extend beyond individuals. Improved spouse well-being supports military readiness and retention. When spouses are happier and healthier, they're better able to support their service members and families, creating positive ripple effects throughout the military community.
The sustainability factors are promising: watercolor workshops are low-cost, require minimal space, demand little time commitment, and need no prior artistic skill. They're an intervention that can realistically be replicated at military installations worldwide.
The Bigger Picture
The Arts in Health field has long understood that creative practice supports well-being through flow states, mindfulness, reduced cortisol, and social connection. What we've lacked is specific research demonstrating these benefits for military spouses overseas. This study is a first step. It shows that when we meet these women where they are—with programs designed to honor their unique challenges and create space for self-expression, skill-building, and community—transformation happens.
Military spouses sacrifice alongside their service members, often in ways that go unrecognized. Art For Your Heart demonstrated that something as accessible as watercolor painting can make a measurable difference.
As both a researcher and fellow military spouse, I watched women walk in carrying the weight of their challenges and leave with lighter spirits, paint-stained fingers, and genuine smiles. They proved that when we invest in community, creativity, and connection, remarkable healing can unfold.
How You Can Help
Share this research to bring awareness to the well-being challenges facing military spouses overseas and the power of arts-based interventions.
Advocate for funding for Arts in Health programs at international military installations.
Connect with me if you're interested in bringing similar programming to your military community.
Read the full research paper HERE
"Art For Your Heart: Assessing the Impact of a Community-Based Visual Art Program on the Well-being of Military Spouses Living Overseas" was completed as part of my Arts in Health Master's program at the University of Florida.
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