New class from Barnes Foundation and UPenn shows a new twist in art therapy

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- How art can help your well-being? That's the focus of a new class that's just starting.

This is a new twist on art therapy. In this class, people learn how art can help your health.

"It may seem strange in today's world to talk about flourishing," James Pawelski of UPenn said.

It's through art that people can flourish or thrive. That's the focus of a new class from the Barnes Foundation and the University of Pennsylvania.

"It can connect with our subconscious," Pawelski said.

Professors from Penn are teaching the online class looking at specific works.

"This painting we can think about flourishing in a lot of different senses because its capturing so many different, positive qualities," Katherine Cotter of UPenn said.

The class will instruct people how to take more reflective time looking at art, allowing it to conjure emotions and thoughts.

"I think art helps us to understand ourselves in a better way," student Didar Zeytun said.

Zeytun, who's taking the class, is a psychology student at Penn State.

"It's really an effective way of coping with stress," Zeytun said.

Research has shown people who engage with art have lower rates of things like depression and dementia.

"We know that engaging with visual art helps to benefit our emotional well-being and helps us feel more positive as we navigate our day-to-day life," Cotter said.

But it might not work for everyone. Skeptics would say art might evoke negative thoughts.

"In art, we see reflected such a broad range of human experience," Pawelski said.

The class has started but people can still sign up through Monday.

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