An Examination of the Phenomenon of Aging in Counselor Education: A Film-Based Learning Experience Using the Film Nyad

The objective of this study is to examine the changes in the personal perceptions of counselor candidates regarding older adults and their perceptions as counselor candidates through the NYAD movie. The present study utilizes the phenomenology method, a qualitative research design, as its methodological framework. The data source comprises reaction papers written by 32 students enrolled in the Guidance and Psychological Counseling undergraduate program at a state university in western Türkiye after watching the NYAD movie. Thematic analysis of the data yielded eight overarching themes, including “perception of ageing, awareness, empathy, knowledge-development, questioning, gain, communication-support, and advocacy”. The findings indicated that film-based learning led to notable achievements in the candidates, including the recognition of the strengths of older adults, heightened sensitivity to ageism, the development of empathy, and the consideration of older adults as active clients in the counseling process. Furthermore, it was determined that the participants recognized their lack of knowledge regarding the psychosocial needs of older adults and expressed a desire to improve themselves in this field. As a result of the research, it is recommended that the content on working with older adults should be made more visible in counseling education and counselor candidates should be trained with a holistic perspective that includes the age factor in the context of multicultural competencies.