Books
Books that explore psychology, self-awareness, emotional life, and the search for meaning. Written to deepen understanding and inspire personal growth.
Across personality, emotion, identity, leadership, and social behavior, these books offer a psychologically grounded lens on what it means to live, relate, and grow. Whether you're drawn to inner work or big-picture insight, each title is written to make complex ideas usable — and to help you understand both yourself and the world with greater clarity. All titles are published through Depthmark, LLC, a psychology-focused imprint created by RJ Starr.
Psychology for the complexities of modern life.
Introducing My Most Comprehensive Work to Date: The Psychology of Being Human
Release Date: September 20, 2025
ISBN: 979-8-9996293-0-2
Library of Congress Control Number: Pending
The Psychology of Being Human is my most comprehensive work to date. It explores the emotional, cognitive, and existential structures that shape human experience, bringing together decades of psychological inquiry into a unified framework for understanding the self.
This book marks a turning point in my publishing journey. My earlier works reflected distinct phases of inquiry—experiments in form, tone, and audience, each shaped by the questions I was asking at the time. In September, 2025, The Psychology of Being Human will be released by Depthmark Press, signaling a new chapter in my work: more integrated, more mature, and more expansive in scope.
The Psychology of Being Human is not just a continuation of previous work—it is a deeper articulation of the themes I’ve spent a lifetime exploring.
Explore by Category
The Psychology of “This is Us” — Family, Memory and the Stories That Shape Us
This Is Us didn’t just entertain—it opened emotional doors. In this deeply reflective exploration, psychology professor RJ Starr unpacks how the Pearson family’s story reveals real-world truths about memory, identity, and love. This book is for anyone still carrying the show’s emotional weight.
The Psychology of Grey’s Anatomy
Grey’s Anatomy isn’t just entertainment—it’s a psychological case study in trauma, grief, and identity. This post explores how the show captures emotional healing through its characters, and why their struggles resonate so deeply. If you’ve ever seen yourself in their pain, this book was written for you.
Family, Fear, and the Final Fade to Black
Family, Fear, and the Final Fade to Black is a psychological portrait of the collapse at the heart of The Sopranos. Through trauma theory, family systems, and emotional survival, RJ Starr explores how the characters reveal the fragile selves we construct, protect, and sometimes lose.
The Psychology of Gilmore Girls
The Psychology of Gilmore Girls explores identity, family, and emotional growth through the lives of Lorelai, Rory, and Stars Hollow. Blending psychological theory with character analysis, it reveals how the series mirrors our attachment styles, coping strategies, and longing for connection.
The Psychology of Dawson’s Creek
The Psychology of Dawson's Creek: Love, Identity, and Growth in Capeside explores the emotional and psychological journeys of its characters through frameworks like Erikson’s stages and attachment theory, offering fresh insights into love, identity, and personal growth across adolescence.