Structured Group counseling experience using the ImageTale app: For graduate students majoring in counseling

Objectives This study was conducted to explore the group counseling experience using the ImageTale app devel-oped as a counseling medium. Methods The participants in the group counseling were 11 graduate students majoring in counseling psychology who first experienced ImageTale, with 2 men and 9 women. As for the research method, group counseling was conducted for a total of 6 sessions for 18 hours, and participants prepared a reflection journal after the session was over and a final report after the conclusion. A total of 7 reflection journals and the counseling process conducted in each session group were analyzed by contents analysis, one of the qualitative analysis. Results As a result, 4 areas, 11 categories, and 29 contents were derived. Group participants started with curiosity when they first encountered the ImageTale app, and they experienced emotional changes, perceptions, and ex-pressions during image composition while exploring their inner selves. In addition, participants received help in terms of self-understanding, inner exploration, and emotion recognition rather than in terms of understanding and interaction with others in group counseling classes using the ImageTale app. Conclusions Through this study, it was possible to confirm the possibility of using the ImageTale app as a counsel-ing medium, and it was suggested that various empirical studies should be conducted in the future.