Born in Vienna, Heller was among the first psychologists to deal with therapeutic techniques in educational framework, by establishing the Heilpaedagogische Anstalt in Vienna. His technique was developed under the Freudian theory and thought. Heller is the author of Grundriss der Heilpaeddagogik (1904; 1925), the basic work on heilpaedagogik. The subjects of his research were child, adolescent, abnormal and educational psychology.