Interdependence of self-understanding and personal liberty in the context of existential psychology

Existential psychology explores various aspects of human’s life including issues of liberty and selfunderstanding, which are of the particular importance. The paper presents the analysis of key aspects of personal liberty and self-understanding and focuses on how these two phenomena are interconnected in terms of existential psychology. The following aspects were substantiated: self-knowledge, as the process of understanding oneself, one’s own psychological actions and mental conditions, becomes the basis for the development of self-understanding from the moment of entering the period of adolescence; self-understanding is integrated into the structure of self-reflection; self-understanding implies the attainment of a new signification of existential self-knowledge obtained during selfexploration; interconnection of liberty and self-understanding fosters the high rate of both mental and physical activity of a subject, as well as their ability to change themselves, currently fulfill themselves and organize their own future. Creative work can serve as an instrument that helps unlock new talents and personal qualities, ensure one’s liberty to express oneself and increase self-understanding. Self-understanding assists in fulfilling one’s own authenticity in the world: a person accepts themselves as they are, meanwhile changing themselves in terms of their life purposes and in accordance with their true nature (acquisition of inner liberty).