Ta-da! It’s My New Copywriting Service
How my new qualification in counselling skills can help
your copy
Need a copywriting consultant to help you make your dreams come true? You’re in the right place! Make your appointment at Kate’s Copy Clinic…
A certificate showing that mental health copywriter Kathryn (my full name) Nilski gained a Level 2 Certificate in Counselling Skills
What’s this qualification, then?
The Level 2 Core Counselling Skills course is free and provided by the government. Being interested in mental health (MH), and hearing about it during a chat with a fellow MH obsessive copywriter, I jumped at the chance to get involved in this beauty.
So, earlier this year, I enrolled in this course through Oaklands College, and in the summer, I finally got my certificate. Yay!
The course is largely based on the framework provided by the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy. Great bunch of guys and gals.
Among other things, the BACP outlines how to:
Regard everyone positively
Actively listen to people when they are talking
Help people find answers to their own questions or problems
5 things I’ve learnt about counselling
How to actually listen
While I’m by no means a professional counsellor, through my studies I found that I do already have what are called ‘helping relationships’ with many people I know, including friends, family and my copywriting clients. Essentially, the way I see it is that anytime someone opens up to you with a concern, you enter into a helping relationship with them.
After completing this 12-week course, I’ve gained new tools that help me to actively listen, empathise, and have unconditional positive regard for anyone I meet. I’ve found that I’m better at taking in what someone is saying and, importantly, where they’re coming from, and I’m less inclined to just be sympathetic or jump in with advice.
For example, let’s look at the listening tool of reflection: if I reflect back or summarise something someone has told me, this not only helps with my understanding, but shows the other person that I’ve been listening, and from there, we can highlight areas they may wish to explore further.
2. What it means to be human – legally
As part of this course, I had to read significant chunks of the Human Rights Act 1998, and I’ve realised how fortunate we are to live in a country that not only prioritises respect for others but builds it into the law. (For what it’s worth, I also think everyone should read the Human Rights Act because I’ve heard a lot of misunderstanding about it, and in the end, it's there to protect everyone for very, very good reasons.)
But learning what it is to be human has been challenging, too. Whether we care to admit it or not, we all have blind spots, prejudices and areas of misunderstanding when it comes to people who may appear different from us. I, for one, found that this course highlighted areas I personally need to work on – areas I wasn’t even aware of. Self-awareness = better relationships.
3. Someone actively listening helps you to help yourself
When someone allows you to be yourself without judgment, you feel good. More than good, you feel like you belong. It’s almost like magic – at least, that’s what I used to think when I first felt a change in myself through weekly counselling, 10 years ago.
And while it is a magical feeling, it’s actually a proven process. If we are allowed to feel that we have a place in the world just as we are and with no changes, to feel no shame, guilt or fear of what makes us human, we feel confident and happy — and worry less. (It’s probably a biological thing, but love, I’m not a biologist.)
Some people have backgrounds where opening up with their true feelings wasn’t an option. Others have experienced so much trauma that their brains have built walls as big as that one in China. Whatever the reason for your emotional pain, someone actively listening to you can change everything. It’s truly wonderful.
4. There are still plenty of people who won’t believe in counselling
And that’s OK.
Not everyone is open to the idea of change, self-reflection or understanding themselves; self-reflection can be very scary and open up a lot of potential pain.
I have come to the opinion that, as someone with new skills under my belt, including what’s called unconditional positive regard, one of the cornerstones of person-centred therapy, I must understand and accept that some people are afraid of change and self-exploration.
It’s not my role to force a helping relationship onto people, coz that kinda defeats the object. But I can still use unconditional positive regard towards all people, and maybe see a ripple effect of my therapeutic approach to life in general.
5. I still have lots to learn (Christ, don’t we all?)
I still have loads of work to do. I have lots to learn and experience, and there are also lots of people I’m yet to meet. Some people won’t want my help, and some will need more help than I can offer.
But this doesn't put me off wanting to learn more about what it means to counsel someone into a world of empowerment and fulfilment. And so I will.
Alright, how can what I’ve learned help you and your copy?
Well, let me answer it this way:
There’s one more copywriter service I’d now like to add to my menu. Drumroll please…
Kate’s Copy Clinic
A therapeutic one-hour call
Talk to me about your copy, marketing and other concerns or aims
I’ll actively listen to you and ask you the right questions to highlight issues
Together, we’ll come up with some ideas to best communicate with your audience
You get a one-page summary of our chat, with our conclusions plus relevant
copywriting tips from me
You could work or own an SME* or be a copywriter yourself
Perfect for those on a tighter budget but know how important brand messaging is for sales
We can decide to make our chats regular or you could book me to work on your next wordy project with you!
*Small to Medium Enterprise
As I’ve said, I’m still not a trained counsellor. But here’s what I am:
An experienced copywriter since 2015
A writer with experience in the fields of mental health, food and drink and consumer audiences
Someone with working marketing, social media and SEO knowledge, and experience in PR
Empathetic, approachable and flexible
Clutching my new certificate in Level 2 Core Counselling Skills, ready to use it!
So if you’re looking for a copywriting consultant to listen to your dreams and help you make them come true, you’re in the right webby place. Scroll down to make your first appointment…
In a world of advice, we need more listeners
There’s a ton of advice out there from some excellent people, but who’s there to listen to your specific brand messaging problems?
Who can help you come to your own decisions and maybe even embark on writing your own copy?
Kate Nilski, food and mental health copywriter – and now therapeutic copywriting consultant
The clinic doors are open!
And here’s Kate Nilski, a white woman in a headscarf and black top, your new copywriting consultant.