Self-determination is an omnipresent concept in social work. However, professional practitioners face a dilemma: on one hand, they are expected to normalize their interactions with others, while on the other hand, they must support individuals in leading a self-determined life according to their own free will. Through an introductory philosophical discourse on 'freedom of will and the capacity for self-determination,' Felix Manuel Nuss illustrates the abilities and conditions necessary for the development of a self-determined life and the potential implications for social work. By understanding individuals as capable of freedom, a bridge is built to existentialist philosophy, and an emancipatory conceptual approach is outlined that views human free will as the central starting point.