37 Seconds is a movie with themes explicitly related to self-discovery, ableism, sexuality, and implicit bias. The plot includes Yuma, who lives with cerebral palsy while 23 years old, as she discovers her career goals and life aspirations. As she seeks varied opportunities to achieve her personal and professional needs, the viewers can observe the reactions of those around her and at times, their disregard for her autonomy.

Counselors and counselor educators serve to benefit from viewing this movie as it encourages cultural humility along with raising critical consciousness in our ability to distinguish between empathy and sympathy for those living with disabilities. Counselors watching this movie will be prompted to consider ways to lean into sessions with empathy, but greater levels of respect and compassion when working with marginalized clients living with disabilities. Relatedly, counselor educators may use the movie as support for broadening understanding of principle ethics of autonomy, beneficence and nonmaleficence within the American Counseling Association’s Code of Ethics (ACA, 2014) for future counselors to conceptualize counseling work with Yuma as a client living with cerebral palsy. Counselor educators may also use the movie to encourage future counselors to critically think of ways to provide support in counseling sessions, as well as advocate for her autonomy and well-being.