Classes & learning with Patty de VriesLooking for the event center? Visit the venue ↗
living wellUSAwith Patty de Vries

NEUROSCIENCE FOR EVERYDAY LIFE

Get to know
your brain.
Enjoy being you.

Take Back Your Mind. Reclaim Your Life.

Learn to question your thoughts, direct your attention, and choose how you show up in the world.

Explore Upcoming Live Classes Get to Know Patty

Live learning. Real conversations. Curiosity welcome.

Patty de Vries smiling in the garden at Living Well
Hi, I’m Patty.Practical neuroscience. Conscious living.

Big experience.
Human approach.

Stanford Continuing StudiesInstructor
Stanford GSB LEAD (contract)Facilitator
Stanford well-beingFormer well-being leader
30+ yearsHelping people thrive

AN INVITATION FROM PATTY

Your Next Chapter Begins With a Choice

You don’t have to believe every thought, repeat every reaction, or stay stuck in patterns that no longer serve you. Through practical neuroscience, reflection, and meaningful conversation, I’ll help you understand how your mind works and how to work with it.

Together, we practice six powerful skills: Observe. Honor. Discern. Choose. Connect. Create.

Whether you want more happiness in everyday life or greater self-leadership under pressure, there is a place for you here. Come as you are. Patty

Discover the Six Practices
Patty listening thoughtfully during a small-group activity, with reflection materials nearby
Curiosity, conversation, and space to reflect.

YOUR NEXT “AHA” STARTS HERE

Good things happen
when we learn together.

Understand a little more.
Practice something new.
Bring it into your everyday life.

NEXT ENROLLABLE COHORT

The Practice of Happiness: Inside the Happy Brain

Discover how thoughts, attention, habits, and emotions shape everyday experience, and practice ways to cultivate greater joy, resilience, and meaning.

Best for: Anyone seeking more awareness, freedom, and possibility in everyday life.

  • Dates: Tuesdays, Nov 3 to Dec 8, 2026
  • Time: 6:00 to 7:30 PM Pacific, live on Zoom
  • Tuition: $675 USD
  • Enroll by: Oct 31, 2026
“I began catching myself in the act and deliberately reframing my thoughts. My mood has stayed above the line for a month. The impact has been profound.”Course Participant
View Dates & Enroll

NEW JANUARY 2027 COHORT · ENROLLMENT OPEN

The Practice of Self-Leadership & Emotional Mastery

Move from automatic reaction to conscious choice. Strengthen emotional awareness, composure under pressure, and your ability to lead yourself and connect with others.

Best for: Leaders, professionals, and anyone ready to respond more intentionally.

  • Dates: Thursdays, Jan 7 to Feb 11, 2027
  • Time: 6:00 to 7:30 PM Pacific, live on Zoom, 6 live sessions
  • Tuition: $675 USD
“This class was not what I expected at all. And that turned out to be just what I needed. You cannot lead until you have dealt with yourself.”2026 Cohort Graduate
Explore January Cohort & Enroll

WHAT PARTICIPANTS HAVE SHARED

“I genuinely feel that I am a different person…”

Stanford Continuing Studies Participant, 2026
Read more student voices →
See all classes & sessions →Explore the course outline →Not ready? Get occasional insights & invitations →
FREE · 30-MINUTE LESSON

Your Sovereign Voice

A small first step toward a kinder inner conversation. Watch Patty teach and explore the patterns that shape the way you speak to yourself.

Try a free lesson

Enrollment, course schedules, recordings, and class updates are available on Maven. See all of Patty’s offerings ↗

SERIOUS ABOUT SCIENCE. DELIGHTFULLY HUMAN.

Your brain didn’t
come with a manual.
Let’s get curious.

You don’t have to become a different person to begin. Patty’s classes bring neuroscience into real conversations about thoughts, feelings, relationships, and the moments that make up a life.

A FRAMEWORK TO RETURN TO

Six practices.
A more conscious way to live.

01

Observe

Notice your thoughts, emotions, and patterns.

02

Honor

Meet your human experience with compassion.

03

Discern

Question assumptions and separate facts from stories.

04

Choose

Respond with intention rather than habit.

05

Connect

Strengthen connection with yourself, others, and life.

06

Create

Put insight into practice and shape what comes next.

Explore the classes ↗Workshops & experiences ↗Join the community ↗
A TASTE OF THE APPROACH

Same moment. A little more room.

Someone hasn’t replied to your message. Your mind starts filling in the blanks.

THE AUTOMATIC STORY

“They must be upset with me.”

A reflection prompt, not a conclusion about someone else.
Patty smiling beside a tree in the sunlit redwoodsA curious mind.
A very human guide.

MEET YOUR GUIDE

Meet Patty.
Science, with a smile.

Patty Purpur de Vries is an educator, author, entrepreneur, and former Stanford well-being leader who brings decades of experience helping people live and lead well.

Her teaching combines practical neuroscience, reflection, and everyday tools that support greater awareness and conscious choice. She has also served as a facilitator at Stanford Graduate School of Business (contract).

Her teaching combines clear explanations, thoughtful questions, and space to practice. Expect real conversation, fresh perspectives, and the occasional laugh of recognition.

Stanford Continuing StudiesInstructor in leadership & emotional mastery
Stanford Graduate School of Business (contract)LEAD program facilitator
More about Patty’s background

Living Well USA’s Maven classes are independent offerings. Explore Patty’s teaching in Stanford’s course catalog ↗.

STORIES START WITH EVERYDAY MOMENTS

One moment.
A new way
of seeing it.

A conversation stays on your mind. A small setback takes over your afternoon. A familiar reaction arrives before you know it.

A QUESTION TO TAKE WITH YOU

What am I noticing,
and what else might be true?

You can begin with one ordinary moment. Notice it. Meet it with compassion. Get curious about the story you are telling.

Spend a few minutes learning with Patty

Explore our stories & insights ↗

Explore our stories & insights ↗

GET A FEEL FOR THE TEACHING

A little learning.
A fresh perspective.

Start with a conversation or a free lesson.
No need to have it all figured out.

A little more
kindness.
WATCH THE CONVERSATION

Self-compassion & feeling love

Patty in conversation with Al’ai Alvarez, MD.

A FREE PLACE TO BEGIN

How’s that inner
conversation going?

Explore a more compassionate inner voice in Patty’s free 30-minute lesson.

Watch Your Sovereign Voice
The redwood deck and forest setting at Living Well in the Santa Cruz Mountains

GOOD LEARNING IS EVEN BETTER TOGETHER

Bring a fresh perspective
to your team.

Explore a workshop, talk, or shared learning experience with Patty. Meet in the Santa Cruz Mountains, at your workplace, or live online.

Let’s talk about your team

PART OF THE LIVING WELL USA FAMILY

Looking for the event center?

Same Living Well family, a different reason to visit. For weddings, celebrations, and venue rentals in the Santa Cruz Mountains, head to Living Well Event Center.

Visit the event center

A FEW GOOD QUESTIONS

Curious?
You’re in good company.

Who is Patty Purpur de Vries?

Patty Purpur de Vries, also known as Patty de Vries, is an educator, entrepreneur, and Living Well USA co-founder based in the Santa Cruz Mountains near Los Gatos, California. She teaches practical neuroscience, happiness, self-leadership, and emotional mastery. Her background includes Stanford Continuing Studies instruction and Stanford Graduate School of Business (contract) facilitation.

Is Living Well USA the same as Living Well Event Center?

Living Well USA is the umbrella organization for our learning programs and Living Well Event Center. This website focuses on Patty’s classes and teaching. For weddings, celebrations, venue rentals, and tours, visit LivingWellEventCenter.com.

Do I need a background in neuroscience?

No. These classes are designed to make ideas about the mind approachable. Bring your curiosity and a willingness to reflect and practice.

Where do I find class dates and enrollment?

Each class links to Patty’s Maven page, where you can view the current schedule, syllabus, price, and availability, and enroll directly.

Can I get a feel for Patty’s teaching first?

Yes. Start with Your Sovereign Voice, a free 30-minute lesson, or watch the conversation on self-compassion above.

Does Patty work with teams and organizations?

Yes. Workshops and learning experiences can take place at Living Well, at your workplace, or live online. Contact Patty to discuss your group.

LET’S KEEP THE CURIOSITY GOING

A little more awareness.
A lot more possibility.

Receive occasional practical insights, reflection prompts, and invitations to learn together. Useful ways to understand your mind and enjoy being you.

Join the Living Well Community Start with the six practices →

A GOOD DAY TO GET CURIOUS

A fresh perspective
looks good on you.

Find a class. Meet your mind. Make room for possibility.

Explore Patty’s classes Or start with a free lesson →