October 1 – 5, 2026 all on Zoom
This 16 hour study group is for clinicians who are interested in the how of working bottom-up and moment to moment with couples in sex therapy. We will use video to invite you into real sessions with Karen and Caroline so you can see and feel what it’s like to slow things down and see in real time how a couple’s relational system is causing pain and interfering with their erotic aspirations. From there you will learn how to structure your work developmentally to help couples move from a sexual impasse to ripening over their lifespan.
This is a pilot so we are reducing the fee and asking clinicians to be generous with their feedback. We are seeking CE certification but this may not happen in time for the study group.
We will be using video of real couples and will ask that you sign a contract with us agreeing not to record or distribute this material.
Learning Targets:
- Assessment and Case Construction in Bottom-Up Sex Therapy. Learn how arousal regulation, attachment style and embodiment affect a couple’s capacity to function securely in an erotic context.
- Learn to sequence your work developmentally so couples develop the skills they need to grow their erotic capacity.
- Learn common mistakes couple therapists make working bottom up.
- Learn how to stage a couple’s most challenging erotic impasse.
“The Ripening Approach is a strategic roadmap that hones in on the moment-to-moment erotic journey of the couple. Karen and Caroline explore the somatic narrative that is so often overlooked but when explored provides new, sensual ways of being connected. The Ripening Approach brings a fresh perspective to sex therapy, leading to lasting change. It is what we need right now.”
—Allison Howe, PACT Institute Senior Faculty
Pre-Requisites:
Clinicians who have completed PACT Level 1 or above or clinicians with training in another form of systemic therapy (EFT, Gottman, etc..) are invited to attend. Please call Karen to discuss your readiness for this training if you do not have any specialized training in couple therapy. You do not need to have sex therapy certification to apply.
Important Details
The retreat will be held all on Zoom
We will meet:
Thursday, October 1, 2026 1-5pm EST
Friday, October 2, 2026 1-5pm
Saturday, October 3rd FREE
Sunday, October, 4 2026 1-5 pm EST
Monday October 5, 2026, 1-5 pm EST
The cost for the workshop is $800 per person.
Your Guides
Karen and Caroline have nearly 60 years of clinical experience between them. Caroline is an (add) AASECT certified sex therapist and a Level 2 PACT practitioner. Karen has extensive training in Tantra among other movement modalities, was a member of the original PACT faculty and is certified by the PACT Institute.
Dr. Karen Berry, PACT Certified Therapist
Karen weaves Tantra with relational science, yoga, and Five Rhythms practices into a powerful alchemy for embodied transformation and sacred relationship. For over 35 years Karen Berry, Ph.D. has been a clinical psychologist and differentiation-based sex therapist who has optimized clinical outcomes for clients and therapists alike. She was a member of the original Core Faculty at the PACT Institute (the Psychobiological Approach to Couple Therapy), continues to mentor new and experienced PACT therapists, and she now leads PACT-based Ripening Retreats for couples seeking erotic upgrades.
Caroline Russell Smith, LCSW, Certified Sex Therapist and PACT Level 2
Caroline Russell Smith is a clinical social worker and certified sex therapist who has dedicated her 25 year career to complex trauma recovery and erotic liberation. Her sex therapy work with couples is rooted in the Psychobiological Approach to Couple Therapy (PACT). Caroline and Dr. Karen Berry are offering professional training as well as retreats for clinicians and couples who want to ripen their relational and erotic capacity. Widening access to clinical knowledge is a guiding principle for Caroline. She has facilitated a free LGBTQ+ support group for the last 15 years and offers sexuality and gender workshops for colleagues, parents, teens and college students in her community. Her goal as a white, queer, cis, middle-aged, married human is to show up as a human/therapist/teacher with an abundance of open-hearted curiosity, humility and love. Learn more about her at: https://caroline-russell-smith.squarespace.com/
Want to read about the way we work?
For more information about our approach check out The First 30 Seconds: How PACT Can Help Couples with Sexual Encounters by Caroline Russell Smith and When a Couple Desires More Intimacy by Dr. Karen Berry.
Sign up for the Ripening Retreats Mailing List
Get the latest news, and be the first to hear about upcoming events and special offers!