The core of the Gestalt therapy process is enhanced awareness of sensation, perception, bodily feelings, emotion, and behavior, in the present moment.

He grew up in the bohemian scene in Berlin, participated in Expressionism and Dadaism, and experienced the turning of the artistic avant-garde toward the revolutionary left.

Deployment to the front line, the trauma of war, antisemitism, intimidation, escape, and the Holocaust are further key sources of biographical influence.

In 1933, soon after the Hitler regime came to power, being of Jewish descent and because of their anti-fascist political activities in the time before,[1]: 292  Perls, Laura, and their eldest child Renate fled to the Netherlands, and one year later they emigrated to South Africa, where Perls started a psychoanalytic training institute.

During this period Fritz Perls co-wrote his first book, Ego, Hunger, and Aggression (published in 1942 and re-published in 1947).

Laura Perls wrote two chapters of the book, although when it was re-published in the United States she was not given any recognition for her work.

Along with the experiential first part, written with Ralph Hefferline, the book was entitled Gestalt Therapy and published in 1951.

Fritz Perls began traveling throughout the United States in order to conduct Gestalt workshops and training.

One of his students at Esalen was Dick Price, who developed Gestalt Practice, based in large part upon what he learned from Perls.

In 1969 Perls left Esalen and started a Gestalt community at Lake Cowichan on Vancouver Island, Canada.

[11] Perls' approach to therapy was included in criticism by Jeffrey Masson,[12] a psychoanalyst who feuded with journalists[13] and with the psychoanalytic community generally over his controversial theories disputing the effectiveness of psychotherapy.

[14] Masson said that Perls was sexist, as well as physically and emotionally abusive towards women in his private life.

Therapist Barry Stevens, who met Fritz Perls for the first time in 1967, described a different impression of him.

"[15]: 186 Stevens also described another incident from a group therapy session: "... Fritz Perls asked us all a question and waited for answers. ...