Bernadette Spooner Thompson

I'm Bernadette Spooner Thompson, founder of Context of Culture, LLC — a space created for honest, sometimes uncomfortable conversations about who we are, where we come from, and how the world has shaped us. My work lives at the intersection of societal hierarchies and cultural identity, always held within a trauma-informed framework. I specialize in issues that touch children, women, and racial identity.

I hold a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology, a Master's Degree in Counseling Psychology, and an Education Specialist Degree in Professional Counseling. I am a licensed professional counselor and supervisor in Missouri, a certified K-12 school counselor, a licensed professional clinical counselor in Kansas, and a level one certified clinical trauma professional.

For nearly a decade, I worked inside K-12 schools — counseling students and families, developing social-emotional curricula, and helping institutions become more culturally affirming and trauma-responsive. I've trained staff, built counseling programs from the ground up, and shown up for communities that are too often overlooked.

I understand the weight that marginalized individuals carry — socially, emotionally, and psychologically — at the intersection of race, class, and gender. This work isn't abstract to me. It's personal. And I'm here for you.

Counseling works best when you feel supported, seen, and ready to engage in the process in your own way and at your own pace. My role is to walk alongside you as you explore your story, helping you move toward a life where your experiences no longer define or limit you. I draw from a thoughtful blend of approaches, including narrative therapy, somatic theory, person-centered therapy, and womanist theory, to support healing that honors your whole self—mind, body, and lived experience.

During our first session you can expect for me ask a variety of questions so I can discern if my expertise is sufficient for what you want to work on or work through. I will encourage you to ask me questions. In order for therapy to be benefical YOU have to feel safe, secure and nurtured.