Adlerian Freedom Explained The title of this article comes from a bestselling book by Japanese authors Ichiro Kishimi and Fumitake Koga, but the concept is pure Adler. Freedom, in the Adlerian sense, is not the absence of constraints. It is the courage to live according to your own values even when doing so brings disapproval, criticism, or rejection from others. Most people are not free. They are trapped in a web of concerns about what others think, constantly adjusting their behavior to avoid disapproval or gain acceptance. This is not malicious. It is a survival strategy learned in childhood. But...