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Friedrich Salomon PerlsAn outstanding German psychiatrist and psychotherapist
Date of Birth: 08.07.1893
Country:  Germany |
Content:
- Fritz Perls: Trailblazing Psychiatrist and Gestalt Therapy Founder
- Psychoanalytic Doubts and Emigration
- Exile and Wartime Service
- Return to the United States
- Gestalt Therapy: A New Approach
- Institute and Community
- Later Years and Legacy
Fritz Perls: Trailblazing Psychiatrist and Gestalt Therapy Founder
Early Life and Medical CareerFritz Perls was born in Berlin, Germany, on July 8, 1893. Despite initially lacking interest in medicine, he enrolled in medical school in 1913 and earned his doctorate in 1921.
Psychoanalytic Doubts and Emigration
During the economic crisis in Germany, Perls emigrated to the United States. Upon returning in 1924, he began practicing as a psychoanalyst, but gradually questioned the completeness of Freudian psychoanalysis.
Exile and Wartime Service
In 1933, with the rise of Hitler, Perls and his family fled to the Netherlands and later immigrated to South Africa in 1934. During World War II, Fritz served as a psychiatrist in the South African army, attaining the rank of captain.
Return to the United States
After the war, Perls relocated to New York City in 1946 and subsequently moved to California in 1960. He became affiliated with the Esalen Institute in Big Sur.
Gestalt Therapy: A New Approach
In 1951, Perls co-authored the seminal work "Gestalt Therapy" with Ralph Hefferline and Paul Goodman. This publication laid the foundation for his pioneering therapeutic approach.
Institute and Community
Perls established the New York Institute for Gestalt Therapy in the 1950s. Gestalt therapy groups also sprang up nationwide, and in 1954, the Cleveland Institute for Gestalt Therapy was founded.
Later Years and Legacy
In 1964, Perls joined the staff of the Esalen Institute. In 1969, he moved to British Columbia, where he founded a Gestalt community on Vancouver Island. Perls passed away at the age of 76 on March 14, 1970. His therapeutic legacy continues to inspire generations of psychologists.
