The Pain-Passing Framework - Dr Maddie Smith

Healing Patterns & Systems of Pain from the Inside Out, Taking Healing from the Individual to the Collective…

Because Hurt People Hurt People, But Healing People Help Others Heal Too.

Pain moves.

It ripples out, embedding deeply inside the wounded, moving between people. It is even structured into the systems around us that shape our lives – our world.

Time does not heal all wounds.

Unhealed pain becomes magnified – internalised further within us, where it shapes how we see ourselves, what we believe is possible for our lives, and how we move through the world.

Unhealed pain is redirected out – infecting our relationships, interactions, and how we engage with our wider communities and beyond.

Unhealed pain shapes families. Workplaces. Judicial processes. Government policy. Oppression. Wars…

This is Pain-Passing. A global phenomenon so deeply ingrained into the people and structures of the modern world, that we simply accept it – living within its patterns and systems as the planet collapses and burns around us.

But what if we don’t have to live this way?

What if healing can ripple out too?

Welcome to The Pain-Passing Framework.

What is it?

The Pain-Passing Framework provides a unique approach to understanding and transforming systems of pain – both inside and outside of us – intentionally bridging personal and collective healing.

The Framework has two primary aims:

To help individuals heal their wounds, and break free from the patterns and systems of pain that shape their lives – enabling them to reclaim agency, self-empower, and create a fulfilling and joyful life from the inside out.
To send healing out into the world through conscious action – with healing individuals working together to co-create a more compassionate, connected world for everyone and everything in it.

And yes – both things are possible – maybe even inevitable. We can absolutely break free from inner and outer systems of pain to create the life and planet of our dreams. Because personal healing is collective healing.

One healing person has the power to reshape the world around them – from the inside out.

When we turn within to heal our wounds, and consciously stop passing pain along by healing whatever lands with us, we naturally show up differently in our lives. Healthier boundaries. Greater self-advocacy. More compassion towards the pain of others – without taking it on as our own. More able to stand up against injustice, for what is right – to speak up and act, even if our voice shakes and our hands tremble. To stand up for those who cannot – doing what we can from where we are, working together to remake a world built on a foundation of compassion, peace, and equity that honours the interconnectedness of humanity on this pale blue dot.

How does it work?

The Pain-Passing Framework consists of 5 distinct but interconnected layers, providing a pathway through personal to global healing, designed to take individuals on a deeply integrated healing journey.

Personal Pain-Passing – this layer explores how our wounds form, where our pain comes from, how it shapes us, and most importantly – what we do with it – allowing us to work through self-directed (how our pain impacts us) and redirected (how our pain impacts others) pain behaviours.
Generational Pain-Passing – this layer explores ancestral or generational pain that flows through the family unit, shaping our beliefs about who we are and what we are capable of, and how we relate to others in relationships and society, enabling us to work through the energetic patterns and create a new legacy.
Interpersonal Pain-Passing – this layer focuses on relational pain – how our wounds show up in relation to other people’s wounds in our relationships with lovers, friends, colleagues, our wider communities, and beyond, allowing us to make conscious choices about how we show up.
Societal Pain-Passing – this layer explores the impact of systemic pain and strain on our lives, through the structures that shape our beliefs about our place in the world in relation to others. From education, media, and religion to law, capitalism, and governance, we can access deeper truths and alternative choices.
Global Pain-Passing – this layer focuses on the impact of global pain on our lives, and how pain moves across boundaries, borders, cultures, and countries, shaping collective suffering. Wars, climate breakdown, cultural erasure, displacement, and other global crises…building bridges back to each other to create real solutions for the future of our planet.

Each of these layers are built on one simple truth – that true healing begins within, so integrated healing techniques are built into every layer. We cannot create something new from inside systems of pain – our healing allows us to create new systems that render the old ones obsolete.

Who is it for?

Those most likely to benefit from working with The Pain-Passing Framework are:

Souls who feel overwhelmed by all the pain in their world and need a place to start.
Those struggling to overcome childhood wounds and associated thoughts, feelings, and behaviours.
Cycle breakers seeking to end generational patterns.
People stuck in painful relational dynamics who want to connect with others in healthier, boundaried ways.
Social justice activists seeking to balance self-healing with outward impact.
Holistic and self-help practitioners looking to expand their own healing practices or understanding of pain.
Change makers who want their healing to positively impact their loved ones, communities, and beyond.

How to engage with the Framework

You can currently engage with The Pain-Passing Framework in several different ways. My range of services here are designed to meet people where they are at, at whatever level of engagement they feel ready for:

Free content at @DrMaddieSmith on Instagram – designed to help people build foundational healing skills.
Pay what you can workshops at @DrMaddieSmith on YouTube twice a month – designed to help people work with self-directed and redirected pain-based behaviours.
Paid workshops on different aspects of pain-passing and related specialist areas, hosted in my online shop.
Journaling workbooks (there are currently 5 30-day journaling challenges, one for each level of the Pain-Passing Framework) and other digital resources, hosted in my online shop.
Long and short online courses on different aspects of pain-passing and related specialist areas, hosted in my online shop and learning platform.
In-person healing circles
A group coaching programme ‘Inner-Fire Activation for Change-Makers’

You can check out the drop-down menu for this page for details of each of these services.