Summaries of Important Psychological Works

I dropped out of school when I was sixteen ... then, when I was almost eighteen, I decided to go back. I completed my VCE at a local college and then went on to study psychology and psychotherapy, earning my Masters in the latter. It was when I started VCE again that I committed, again, to read.

For a long time, I put aside the books of my past. I loved reading when I was a kid and libraries were a second home to me. I have such fond memories of my mum dropping me off there with my brothers and searching the shelves, picking up Tintin and Asterix and Biggles and Selby the dog series and all the Andy Griffiths and Paul Jennings and Goosebumps books I could get my hands on (as nerdy as this is, I have video evidence at my Grade 6 graduation being given an award for the most books read that year!). Then, I got into high school and stopped. At the time, I thought I had to "prove" myself and took a bunch of wrong turns, eventually dropping out to work full-time at McDonald's after a short stint as an industrial plumber.

When I chose to go back to study I chose to read again. Then, in 2016, I began keeping a log of all the books I'd read that year—I kept doing the same until now (you can find a comprehensive list of the books I've read over the years here). Each year my reading habits look different—and I like that. Each year I've changed a bit here and there to help me retain and grow and practice the things I read. I try to diversify my reading habits, but always turn to themes of adventure and suffering and faith and growth and evil and goodness.

On finding new ways to retain the information I've read over the years, I've realised my mind's a sieve (most of what I read goes in one ear and out the other ... with a few trivia-worthy tidbits that lodge inside). Yet, recently I've found some success: these days I read books—physical books—while listening to the audiobook (this helps with retention) while taking notes and underlining. After each chapter, I transfer the notes and quotes to an app and convert them later to a PDF. Now I've got the resource forever. I've found my clients (and colleagues) benefit from these PDFs, so I've decided to upload them below.

As the years progress I'll continue to upload while the astute reader will see my Notes change as I do. Forgive my earliest renditions and enjoy my latest. I hope it helps you in your journey to learn more.

As I end, however, I cannot stress this enough: These Notes are not a substitute for reading the actual book. Instead, I hope they motivate you to purchase the book and read it. You will, as I have, become a better person by doing so.

Non-Fiction

1. Psychology, Psychotherapy & Neuroscience

1.1 Trauma, Somatics & Attachment
Trauma and Memory: Brain and Body in a Search for the Living Past: A Practical Guide for Understanding and Working with Traumatic Memory
by Peter A. Levine, PhD
(published in 2015)
—download my Notes here

1.2 Clinical/Psychotherapy
Accessing the Healing Power of the Vagus Nerve: Self-Help Exercises for Anxiety, Depression, Trauma, and Autism
by Stanley Rosenberg
(published in 2017)
—send a request via email or webform for these Notes as the file is too large to attach here

1.3 Neuroscience/Mind
Brainstorm: The Power and Purpose of the Teenage Brain
by Daniel J. Siegel, MD
—download my Notes here
Seven and a Half Lessons About the Brain
by Lisa Feldman-Barrett, PhD
(published in 2020)
—download my Notes here
How Emotions are Made: The Secret Life of the Brain
by Lisa Feldman-Barrett
(published in 2017)
—download my Notes here
The Vagus Nerve Reset: Train Your Body to Heal Stress, Trauma, And Anxiety
by Anna Ferguson
(published in 2023)
—download my Notes here
Anatomy of Violence: The Biological Roots of Crime
by Adrian Raine
(published in 2013)
—download my Notes here

1.4 Parenting & Relationships
Good Inside: A Guide To Becoming The Parent You Want To Be
by Becky Kennedy
(published in 2022)
—download my Notes here

1.5 Self-Development, Performance & Leadership
The Courage to be Disliked
by Ichiro Kishimi & Fumitake Koga
(published in 2013)
—Notes on the way...
The Next Conversation: Argue Less, Talk More
by Jefferson Fisher
(published in 2025)
—download my Notes here
The Gift: 12 Lessons to Save Your Life
by Edith Eger
(published in 2020)
—download my Notes here
Atomic Habits: An Easy & Proven Way to Build Good Habits & Break Bad Ones
by James Clear
(published in 2018)
—download my Notes here
The Success Code: The High-Performance Playbook for Eliminating Mental Barriers and Scaling Your Career, Relationships and Health
by Brandon Epstein
(published in 2025)
—download my Notes here
Mastery
by Robert Greene
(published in 2012)
—download my Notes here

1.6 Psychiatry
Saving Normal: An Insider's Revolt Against Out-of-Control Psychiatric Diagnosis, DSM-5, Big Pharma, and the Medicalization of Ordinary Life
by Allen Frances
(published in 2013)
—download my Notes here

2. Health
Breath: The New Science of a Lost Art
by James Nestor
(published in 2020)
—download my Notes here

3. Memoir & Biography
The Choice: A True Story of Hope
by Edith Eger
(published in 2024)
—download my Notes here
Scars and Stripes: An Unapologetically American Story of Fighting the Taliban, UFC Warriors, and Myself
by Tim Kennedy
(published in 2022)
—download my Notes here

4. History
—Notes in the category coming soon...

5. Philosophy
—Notes in the category coming soon...

6. Theology/Apologetics
—Notes in the category coming soon...

7. Culture
—Notes in the category coming soon...

Fiction

8. Thriller/Suspense
The Terminal List
by Jack Carr
(published in 2018)
—download my Notes here
True Believer
by Jack Carr
(published in 2019)
—download my Notes here
Savage Son
by Jack Carr
(published in 2020)
—download my Notes here
The Devil's Hand
by Jack Carr
(published in 2021)
—download my Notes here
In The Blood
by Jack Carr
(published in 2022)
—download my Notes here

9. General
A Christmas Carol
by Charles Dickens
(published in 1843)
—download my Notes here