Annalise Barnette, LMFTA | Meaningful Emotion

Meet Annalise Barnette, PhD, LMFTA (she/her)

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Associate in NC.

Currently accepting new clients
Evening & weekend availability
Accepts insurance and private pay
Currently able to see clients located in NC
Sessions held virtually

My Approach

Many of the couples and families I meet tell me the same thing: they feel stuck. It’s the same argument, just on a different day. Occasionally, it’s not even an argument but a heavy silence that feels even harder. These patterns don’t appear overnight. Some come from the stress of daily life, while others have been passed down for generations, often without anyone realizing it. My job is to help you slow down, notice what’s really happening, and start finding your way back to each other.

I work best with couples who feel their conflict is about more than just communication. I also support individuals, often those who are neurodivergent or part of minority communities, as they work through cultural expectations, family history, and the deeper fears and desires beneath the surface. Together, we look at the stories you’ve inherited, the identities you carry, and the emotional reasons behind your reactions so you can better understand yourself or each other.

Choosing a therapist is a big decision, and I take it seriously when someone chooses me. As an associate, I regularly consult with my supervisor in addition to my own training. This means there is extra support and oversight for your care. I show up steady, curious, and truly on your side, ready to help you let go of old patterns and build something safer and more genuine.

I've always paid close attention to people. As a kid, I noticed how others spoke to each other and what was really going on in their conversations. I still do this today. I listen to your words, but I also notice the pause before you answer, the way your shoulders move, and the story that goes deeper than the argument you're having now.

I was born and raised in Jamaica, and that will always be a part of me. There, I learned that humor helps you get through tough times, that community is essential, and that when someone is struggling, you show up for them without waiting to be asked.

I'm also a mom, and raising a neurodiverse child has taught me a level of patience I never knew I had. It has also shown me what it truly means for someone to feel seen, not just accommodated.

Before all of this, I earned a PhD in immunology. It might seem like an unusual background for a therapist, but it taught me to notice small details and to be comfortable with uncertainty, rather than rushing to fix things.

Fun fact: I help teach Sunday School, so I've had a lot of practice answering big questions in simple, honest ways.

Couples therapy: communication breakdowns, recurring conflict cycles, healing after trust injuries
Individual therapy (16+) anxiety, grief, postpartum adjustment, healing after betrayal, boundary-setting, and identity work
Premarital counseling: building a strong foundation before marriage
Family therapy: intergenerational patterns, roles, and transitions
Parenting support: parent–child connection, role balance, managing stress
Neurodiversity-affirming care: ADHD, autism, and families navigating attention and regulation
Trauma-informed care: supporting clients where past experiences, including complex trauma, shape present-day patterns
Cultural identity and relationships: the impact of race, culture, and power on relational health
Life transitions: relocation, separation, new stages of family life

Meet Annalise Barnette, PhD, LMFTA (she/her)

Currently accepting new clients

Evening & weekend availability

Accepts insurance and private pay

Currently able to see clients located in NC

Sessions held virtually

My Approach

I was born and raised in Jamaica, and that will always be a part of me. There, I learned that humor helps you get through tough times, that community is essential, and that when someone is struggling, you show up for them without waiting to be asked.

I'm also a mom, and raising a neurodiverse child has taught me a level of patience I never knew I had. It has also shown me what it truly means for someone to feel seen, not just accommodated.

Before all of this, I earned a PhD in immunology. It might seem like an unusual background for a therapist, but it taught me to notice small details and to be comfortable with uncertainty, rather than rushing to fix things.

Fun fact: I help teach Sunday School, so I've had a lot of practice answering big questions in simple, honest ways.

Couples therapy: communication breakdowns, recurring conflict cycles, healing after trust injuries

Individual therapy (16+) anxiety, grief, postpartum adjustment, healing after betrayal, boundary-setting, and identity work

Premarital counseling: building a strong foundation before marriage

Family therapy: intergenerational patterns, roles, and transitions

Parenting support: parent–child connection, role balance, managing stress

Neurodiversity-affirming care: ADHD, autism, and families navigating attention and regulation

Trauma-informed care: supporting clients where past experiences, including complex trauma, shape present-day patterns

Cultural identity and relationships: the impact of race, culture, and power on relational health

Life transitions: relocation, separation, new stages of family life

BS in Biology — Florida State University

MS in Marriage & Family Therapy — Syracuse University

PhD in Microbiology and Immunology — University of Miami

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Associate, NC

Gottman Method Level 1 & 2 Trained

Advanced ADHD Certification

Complex Trauma Certification: Interventions from EMDR, Parts Work, CPT, and Polyvagal Theory

Meet Annalise Barnette, PhD, LMFTA (she/her)

Currently accepting new clients

Evening & weekend availability

Accepts insurance and private pay

Currently able to see clients located in NC

Sessions held virtually

My Approach

​

I was born and raised in Jamaica, and that will always be a part of me. There, I learned that humor helps you get through tough times, that community is essential, and that when someone is struggling, you show up for them without waiting to be asked.

​

I'm also a mom, and raising a neurodiverse child has taught me a level of patience I never knew I had. It has also shown me what it truly means for someone to feel seen, not just accommodated.

​

Before all of this, I earned a PhD in immunology. It might seem like an unusual background for a therapist, but it taught me to notice small details and to be comfortable with uncertainty, rather than rushing to fix things.

​

Fun fact: I help teach Sunday School, so I've had a lot of practice answering big questions in simple, honest ways.