Biography of Fritz Perls and his contributions to Psychology

The Gestalt therapy, developed by Fritz perls, Laura perls Y Paul goodman In the 40's, he's a humanistic-existentialist therapy model which was originally designed as an alternative to psychoanalysis conventional.

Gestalt therapists use experiential and creative techniques to enhance the patient's self-awareness, freedom, and self-direction. The german word Gestalt It can be translated into Spanish as "shape" or "outline".

In a previous article we talked in depth about the Gestalt Psychology. If you have not read it yet, we invite you to do so:

"Gestalt psychology: fundamental laws and principles"

Talking about Gestalt Therapy is talking about Fritz Perls

Talking about Gestalt Therapy is talking about its creator: Fritz perls. Therefore, we are going to start by reviewing his biography.

Fritz Perls biography

Friedrich (Fritz) Perls he was born in Berlin in 1893. He was a medical student, but shortly before the First World War he interrupted his studies. However, although at the age of 21 he enlisted in the Red Cross, this was not an obstacle for him to continue with his studies. A) Yes,

In 1920 he obtained a doctorate in Medicine and specialized in Neuropsychiatry.to.

Three years later, Fritz begins his journey as a globetrotter and makes a series of trips (for example to the United States) in order to expand his knowledge of his new profession. In 1926 he meets Karen Horney, with whom he will share a close relationship. Thanks to her, he became interested in Psychoanalysis and began to study it in different centers and institutes, thus becoming a psychoanalyst. Therefore, Fritz became interested in psychoanalytic psychology, although later, as opposed to psychoanalysis, Fritz created Gestalt Therapy.

His life in South Africa with Laura Perls

In 1930, he married Laura Posner, later known as Laura perls. Due to the Hitler's regime and Nazi GermanyIn 1933, he decided to emigrate to Johannesburg (South Africa). There he founded the South African Institute of Psychoanalysis; in 1942 he published his first book, "Ego, Hunger and Aggression"; and from 1942 to 1946, worked as a psychiatrist in the South African army.

Travel to the United States and the consolidation of Gestalt Therapy

In 1946, he moved his family to New York where he worked for a time with Wilhelm Reich and Karen Horney, but soon began working with Paul Goodman in Manhattan. Along with him and with Ralph Hefferline, published the book "Gestalt Therapy: Excitation and Growth of the Human Personality" based on the research and clinical data of Fritz Perls.

In 1951 he founded the New York Institute for Gestalt Therapy and began training psychologists interested in his therapeutic model. It is then that Fritz spreads his ideas throughout the United States and begins to hold seminars and workshops in different countries of the world.

In 1964, Fritz Perls moved to California to teach Gestalt Therapy as a way of life rather than as a model of therapy at the Esalen Institute in California, with which he was associated, and Laura Perls assumed the leadership of the Institute of New York. In 1969 he moved to Canada and established a community for therapists. On March 14, 1970 he died in Chicago.

Fritz Perls's contribution to psychology

Fritz Perls will always be remembered as the father of the Gestalt therapy, a therapeutic model that not only has its roots in Gestalt Psychology, but is also influenced by the psychoanalysis, Reich's character analysis, existential philosophy, Eastern religion, phenomenology, and the psychodrama of Brown.

Gestalt Psychology affirms that the mind is a self-regulating and holistic unit, and is based on the principle that "the everything is more than the sum of the parts ".

If you want to know more about Gestalt Therapy, we invite you to read our article:

"Gestalt therapy: what is it and on what principles is it based?"

Gestalt Therapy more than just psychotherapy

Gestalt Therapy is considered a model of humanistic psychotherapy and emphasizes the present moment and the self-awareness of the emotional and bodily experience, generally censored in Western culture.

One of its peculiarities is that It is not considered a simple psychotherapy, but an authentic philosophy of life, which influences the way the individual perceives relationships with the world. Therefore, and following the Gestalt principle of "everything is more than the sum of its parts", the human being is seen from a perspective holistic and unifying, integrating at the same time, its sensory, affective, intellectual, social and spiritual dimensions, and understanding this one in his global experience.

In search of self-awareness

His practice uses “insight” regarding the patient's experiences, encouraging him to creatively explore how to find his own satisfaction in the different areas of his life. The basis of this therapeutic model is the patient's self-awareness regarding their behavior, their emotions, their feelings, their perceptions and their sensations. Therefore, it is not only focused on explaining the origins of the difficulties and pain that the individual may feel, but also allows experimenting and experimenting with new solutions. The how is more important than the why, that is, when an individual understands how he does what he does, he can understand why he does it.

The therapist does not tell the patient what to do, but rather uses the educational capacity of dialogue, and is more concerned with the bond of trust with it, with the aim of increasing the authenticity of the relationship. Although Fritz studied medicine, Gestalt Therapy is more of an educational approach than a medical one.