About Dr. Karyn Wolfe

I am an actively practicing board-certified pediatrician located in Charlottesville, Virginia. Over my 18 years in practice, I have developed a passion for helping my adolescent patients navigate body image difficulties and challenges in their mental health. For almost ten years, I have taught puberty and family life classes in a local school and have recently begun teaching a body positivity curriculum. In 2023, I made the decision to leave my pediatric practice and pursue a path that will allow me to focus on preteen and teen girls. I completed my life coaching certification with Teen Wisdom Inc. Life Coaching Program for Teen Girls in 2023. I also completed my training with The Body Positive facilitator training program in 2022 and am currently participating in a study with The Body Positive and Eastern Virginia Medical School introducing an updated curriculum to middle school students. My approach is holistic and tailored to each individual's unique goals.

As a teen life coach, I develop a professional relationship with an adolescent girl that enables that girl to define and attain her personal goals. I use my experience and skills to gently guide my client through challenges and celebrate her successes. I create a safe space for my client and help her recognize her personal strengths, find her authentic voice, develop a sense of self-awareness, self-compassion and resilience. As her teen life coach, I help my client navigate situations by empowering her to make choices and advocate for herself. Together, we develop tools that will enable her to thrive and flourish through the adolescent years and into adulthood.

Karyn's story

I started as a primary care pediatrician in 2005. Since that time, I have watched teen girls continue to struggle under ever-increasing pressure. Our girls are facing pressures that today's adults never experienced growing up. From academic and extracurricular performance, to unrealistic and unhealthy body expectations, to a self-imposed obligation to be a perfect friend and daughter, these stresses create an unattainable goal for adolescent girls.

I have spent many of my appointments with these girls working through stress reduction skills and tools to navigate some of these challenges. However, a medical practice is not conducive to spending long periods of time with a single patient. So, here I am, following my passion and purpose. I will continue to practice medicine as a pediatric hospitalist in a nearby hospital, while providing the guidance our teen girls need and deserve as a life coach.

I enjoy working alongside the adolescent girl to brainstorm which tools work best for them. I often explore affirmations, mindfulness, breathing, critical problem solving and soul searching with my patients. I teach intuitive self-care, responding to one's inner critic and becoming more self-aware. I focus on developing a growth mindset with my clients. I am flexible with the patient and follow her lead during our sessions. She will find a safe space to explore what tools work best for her, as I guide her through this often tumultuous time. I am comfortable discussing a myriad of topics, including, but not limited to, academic pressures, family relationships, friendships, gender and sexuality, body image disturbance, anxiety and low self-esteem, self-harm, bullying, substance use and abuse and future planning. I work with girls ages 10 to 22 years old and prefer to meet in person at a location that is comfortable for the client.