Spreading the joy: U. offers free online positive-psychology class

Happy people seem to be the folks with the good jobs, the loving relationships and the stable life.

But many people don't know that a significant part of personal happiness can be within their control and can increase by one "gratitude intervention" or daily "free write" at a time.

Jeanie Farr, online program coordinator for the University of Utah department of educational psychology, said research is finding that practicing gratitude exercises — such as reading a letter of gratitude to a loved one or keeping a gratitude journal — can increase personal happiness. Also, 20 minutes of stream-of-consciousness writing each morning can reduce negative feelings and stress.

Such findings stem from the study of positive psychology — an academic field that has existed for a decade, Farr said. And Farr and her colleagues in the educational-psychology department are taking it upon themselves to spread "highlights of positive psychology" to the world.

Starting Wednesday, Sept. 30, free highlights from seven online positive-psychology courses will be available to the public through the university's Open Courseware Web site. The classes will include daily challenges, journal topics, case studies, film clips and PowerPoint slides.

Classes include topics such as forgiveness and anger reduction, positive psychology and well-being, enhancement of happiness and life satisfaction, growth from traumatic life experiences, quality intimate relationships and peace after divorce.

Farr said the foundation of the courses is based on powerful but simple, research-proven tips.

Part-time student Danielle Vigil, who has taken three positive-psychology courses, said the educational basis for the class was most effective for her.

"I have made a complete turn-around in the way I perceive things and how I deal with relationship," Vigil said.

"It's amazing to me that positive psychology has only been around for a decade," she said.

Positive-psychology research supports "human strengths and virtues," including traits of gratitude, humor, spirituality, humility, forgiveness and kindness. That makes the classes universally appealing, Farr said.

The courses are not meant to serve as a substitute for medical treatment or a solution to severe psychological disorders, but one goal of the courses is to combat the overwhelmingly gloomy attitude of current media, politics and general society, Farr said.

"We have noticed the terribly negative tone — it's just out there, everywhere," Farr said. "Hopefully, this will give at least some help in bringing people happiness through solid, empirically validated research."