For domestic and family violence services, refuges, foundations, government agencies and funding partners
You help women reach safety.
Together, we can help them rebuild.
Every woman deserves the opportunity to rebuild a life that feels like her own: to rediscover her strength, believe in herself again and create a future filled with possibility. Her story doesn’t have to end with what she’s been through.
More than surviving.
A chance to rebuild.
The Me VS Me Rebuild is a structured rebuilding program designed to work alongside the organisations already supporting women affected by domestic and family violence. Through movement, emotional wellbeing, practical life skills, expert-led education and genuine connection, it helps women reconnect with themselves and look towards their futures with hope.
Participation is flexible and guided by choice, with no requirement to share or relive traumatic experiences.
Because every woman deserves more than the opportunity to survive. She deserves the opportunity to truly live.
- 12-month organisational partnership
- Three annual intakes
- Eight-week guided journey
- Continued access
- Flexible participation
Me VS Me Movement - Transforming YOU from the inside out.
Maria's story has been told on
Why rebuilding matters
When the crisis phase ends, rebuilding continues.
Safety will always come first.
Every day, domestic and family violence services, refuges, counsellors and support workers help women through the most difficult moments of their lives, and give them hope when a way forward feels impossible to see.
But rebuilding doesn’t happen overnight. Even once she is safe, a woman may still be learning to trust herself again, rebuild her confidence, reconnect with her body and rediscover her own identity, independence and purpose. For some, it’s finding the energy to get out of bed. For others, it’s enjoying movement again, preparing a nourishing meal or making a new connection.
This is where The Me VS Me Rebuild offers another opportunity for support. Working alongside the services already supporting her, it brings together movement, emotional wellbeing, practical education, personal development and meaningful connection, so she can take positive steps forward in her own time and in her own way.
Because rebuilding is about more than getting through each day.
It’s about rediscovering the possibility of a future filled with confidence, independence, connection and hope.
Rebuilding starts with turning up
Sometimes rebuilding starts with the smallest step. And sometimes that one step can change everything.
Maria Barbaro, Founder, Me VS Me Movement
The story behind the purpose
A voice for those who no longer have one.
A promise born from survival. A purpose to create change.
After surviving an attempted murder, Maria Barbaro made a promise to herself: to use her second chance at life to be a voice for the women who never got theirs. For the women whose lives were taken by violence, the stories left untold and the changes that still need to be made.
Her story, shared nationally on 60 Minutes Australia, became an opportunity to raise awareness and advocate for greater protection for women. But her purpose reaches beyond advocacy. Through Me VS Me Movement, she wants to help women who have survived rediscover the confidence, strength, independence and joy that violence may have taken from them, working alongside the organisations already supporting them.
For the women we’ve lost. For the women rebuilding. And for the women who deserve a future filled with hope.
The eight-week rebuilding journey
Eight weeks. One step at a time.
A structured, compassionate journey designed to help women reconnect, rebuild and move forward.
Through three scheduled intakes a year, women begin an eight-week guided journey followed by continued access to selected resources. Each week has a clear purpose, bringing together accessible movement, emotional wellbeing, practical education, specialist guidance and meaningful connection.
There is no pressure to share her story, no expectation to be at a particular stage of recovery and no single definition of progress.
- 01
This is my start
A personal welcome from Maria, an optional private check-in and gentle first steps.
“I’m not alone. I’ve begun.”
- 02
You are not alone
Identity, connection and belonging, with no expectation to disclose personal experiences.
“I belong somewhere.”
- 03
Move with me
Accessible movement, at home or the gym, as a way to reconnect with her body and discover her strength.
“My body is capable.”
- 04
Choose yourself
Practical self-care, rest, simple nutrition and affordable ways to nourish herself.
“I am worth looking after.”
- 05
Find your voice
Self-worth, personal boundaries and confidence, with guidance from appropriately qualified professionals.
“My voice matters.”
- 06
Take your next step
Practical life skills and financial wellbeing foundations that support informed choices and independence.
“I can take my next step.”
- 07
Dream again
Personal goals, real stories of hope and a future shaped by her own choices.
“I am allowed to dream again.”
- 08
Look at me now
Reflecting on progress, repeating the optional check-in, celebrating achievements and choosing next steps.
“Look how far I’ve come - and I’m not finished.”
A journey that continues beyond eight weeks. The guided eight weeks are the beginning. Women then keep access to selected resources for an agreed continuation period, so they can revisit learning, maintain positive routines and keep growing without the pressure of a fixed timetable.
Maria’s message
“You don’t have to do everything. You don’t have to have all the answers. You don’t have to share your story. You can start exactly where you are, take one small step at a time and know that you don’t have to do it alone.”
Maria Barbaro, Founder, Me VS Me Movement
The weekly experience
More than a program.
A place to feel connected.
Real guidance. Real conversations. Real connection.
Each week offers a familiar rhythm, giving women the freedom to take part in ways that suit their lives. Some days that means joining a movement session or listening to an expert. Other days it simply means hearing a few encouraging words and being reminded that she matters. There is no pressure to complete everything and no single way to participate.
A moment with Maria
Encouragement, lived experience and a reminder that every step forward matters.
Move: reconnect with your strength
Accessible movement for home or the gym, at her own pace.
Nourish: everyday care
Simple, affordable meal ideas and practical nutrition guidance.
Reset: time for yourself
Gentle breathing, grounding and relaxation practices.
Learn: knowledge for life
Education from appropriately qualified professionals on confidence, self-worth, boundaries and everyday independence.
Real women. Real stories. Real hope.
Conversations with women who have found their own ways forward, with careful attention to consent and emotional safety.
Connect live: together, wherever we are
A weekly, optional online gathering for encouragement and connection, hosted by Maria or an invited professional. Women could listen without speaking or appearing on camera. It would be introduced only once privacy, safeguarding, facilitation and moderation arrangements have been developed with specialist input.
One small step
A gentle weekly invitation to try something meaningful.
Reflect: look how far you’ve come
An optional, private moment to recognise progress.
The heart of Me VS Me.
We don’t want women to feel they are simply logging into another online program. We want them to feel welcomed, encouraged and supported, and to know that someone is cheering them on, even on the difficult days.Our approach
Progress without pressure.
Every woman. Her journey. Her pace.
What feels like a small step to one woman may be an enormous achievement for another. Our approach is centred on encouragement, flexibility, dignity and personal choice, and we celebrate progress in all its forms, without comparison, judgement or pressure.
Training that works at home, with or without equipment
Her story belongs to her
No woman is required to disclose or relive her experiences to participate.
Every step forward matters
Progress is never measured by appearance, weight or how quickly someone changes.
There is always a gentler option
Shorter sessions and flexible activities for the days when a few minutes is enough.
Connection without expectation
No expectation to speak, appear on camera or share personal histories.
Movement for every body
Beginner-friendly home options and alternatives for different abilities. No gym membership needed.
Practical support for real life
Realistic wellbeing ideas and affordable nutrition that fit around time, money and family responsibilities.
Her time. Her space. Her choice.
Digital resources she can revisit at her own pace, with access, privacy and digital safety arrangements developed with specialist and partner input.
Understanding the difference we hope to make
Through voluntary wellbeing check-ins, participant feedback and appropriate evaluation, developed with specialist and organisational input, we intend to recognise meaningful progress and keep improving the support offered, with participant dignity, privacy and choice central throughout.
A message from Maria
“I don’t want any woman to feel that she has to prove how strong she is, how far she’s come or how quickly she’s rebuilding. I want her to know that showing up for herself matters.”
Maria Barbaro, Founder, Me VS Me Movement
The organisational partnership
One partnership.
More opportunities to rebuild.
A 12-month commitment to supporting women beyond safety.
Through one annual partnership, your organisation funds access for an agreed number of women, without each woman needing to purchase her own membership. The model includes three scheduled intakes. Each participant is offered an eight-week guided journey, followed by continued access to selected resources for an agreed period.
Because the opportunity to rebuild shouldn’t depend on a woman’s ability to pay.
A cohort that starts and finishes together
What a partnership can include
Three guided intakes throughout the year
Three scheduled opportunities to begin, with participants identified by your organisation under agreed referral arrangements.
A structured, flexible rebuilding program
Weekly resources covering emotional wellbeing, movement, practical life skills and personal development, with no expectation that every woman participates in the same way.
Practical resources for everyday life
Affordable meal ideas, accessible movement, wellbeing practices and practical education.
Guidance from people who care
Maria’s lived experience alongside appropriately qualified professionals and approved guest speakers.
Weekly live connection
An optional online gathering, introduced subject to safeguarding, privacy and facilitation arrangements.
Small steps. Meaningful progress.
Optional reflections and private wellbeing check-ins that help women recognise their own progress.
Continued access beyond eight weeks
Time to revisit learning, maintain positive routines and take further steps at her own pace.
Working together for meaningful outcomes
The Me VS Me Rebuild is not a replacement for specialist domestic and family violence services, counselling, housing assistance, legal support or case management. It is an additional opportunity organisations may choose to offer alongside them.
We welcome partnerships with foundations, government agencies, specialist services and community organisations, locally and internationally, and the involvement of selected organisations in shaping the pilot.
Recognising progress
Progress that matters to her.
Not measured by appearance. Not compared with anyone else. Recognised in her own words.
Sometimes progress is visible. Other times, only a woman herself can recognise it: a little more confidence, a moment of calm, the courage to make a decision.
At the beginning of the eight weeks, she is invited to complete a private, optional wellbeing check-in across seven areas of everyday wellbeing. In week eight she revisits it and notices what may have changed. There are no right or wrong answers, no weigh-ins and no before-and-after photographs, and it is not a clinical assessment.
- Hope
- Confidence
- Connection
- Energy
- Self-care
- Movement
- Belief in the future
Week one: where I am today
“How would you love to feel eight weeks from today?”
Week eight: look how far I’ve come
A chance to revisit her starting point. There is no milestone she is expected to have reached, and no pressure to have a plan for what comes next.
Meaningful progress. Responsible evaluation.
We intend to work with specialist organisations and appropriately qualified professionals on an evaluation approach that may include voluntary wellbeing reflections, participant feedback and engagement information, so we can improve the program and give funding partners appropriate insight while protecting privacy and informed choice.
We want to understand the difference the program may make, without asking women to prove their recovery.
Safety, privacy and participant choice
Her phone may not be private.
Because a woman’s safety must always come first.
For women affected by domestic and family violence, technology isn’t always a safe or private space. A phone may be monitored. A notification, an email or an online interaction could unintentionally place a woman at risk. The Me VS Me Rebuild is being developed with that responsibility at its heart.
Her safety. Her choice.
Participation is voluntary and offered privately through trusted partner organisations, with each woman’s circumstances and safety needs carefully considered. The decision to take part must always remain hers.
Her privacy matters.
No public participant profiles, no public membership lists and no unnecessary sharing of identifying information. Before launch we will review, with specialist input, how the platform manages participant visibility, notifications and personal information.
Clear answers. Responsible safeguards.
Working with our platform provider and appropriate professionals, we intend to establish and document, before access is offered:
- How the app appears on a device and whether notifications create risk.
- What participant information is collected, stored and shared, and who can access it.
- How she can stop using the program and request account or data deletion.
- What other participants may be able to see.
- How online sessions and safety concerns will be managed.
Your expertise helps shape our approach.
We recognise that digital participation will not be safe or suitable for every woman. We welcome the opportunity to build to your safeguarding protocols rather than ask you to accept ours.
Start that conversation If an answer is not good enough for your risk framework, we would rather know now.
The story behind the name
Me VS Me began at 5am in a car park.
A friendship. A year of showing up. Three words that became a movement.
In the months after the attack, Maria was still struggling. She didn’t feel like herself, and many mornings were hard. But she wasn’t rebuilding alone.
Around six months on, she reached out to a friend who had once said, “Ring me when you’re ready.” At 5am the next morning they met in a car park and went to the gym. They kept showing up, every morning, for an entire year.
The accountability ran both ways. Some mornings they encouraged each other; other mornings, simply turning up was enough. There was no competition with anyone else and no expectation to be perfect, and three words became part of their everyday conversations.
Maria Barbaro, founder of Me VS Me Movement
Me versus me.
Maria credits her friend with the name. What began as two friends keeping each other accountable became a reminder that rebuilding doesn’t always begin with feeling ready. Sometimes it begins with someone believing in you and helping you take the next small step.
Her lived experience shapes the purpose and values of The Me VS Me Rebuild. Appropriately qualified professionals contribute the specialist education and guidance. It is not clinical treatment and does not replace specialist services.
Advocacy, media and speaking
A voice for change.
Lived experience. A mother’s strength. A commitment to creating meaningful change.
Maria’s journey with domestic and family violence began as a young woman in an abusive marriage, at a time when she didn’t recognise the behaviours for what they were. At 27 she found the courage to leave and raise her three young sons largely on her own. Years later, she survived an attempted murder.
Today, as a mother, survivor, advocate and founder, she speaks to the realities of abuse, the courage it takes to leave and the importance of the right support, and carries a promise close to her heart: to be a voice for the women whose lives were taken by violence.
Conversations that matter
- Domestic and family violence awareness, including coercive and controlling behaviours
- Protection, accountability and disclosure reform
- Life after violence
- The power of support and connection
- Motherhood and rebuilding
- The story behind Me VS Me
- Turning survival into purpose
Available for media, speaking and advocacy
Television, radio and podcast interviews; keynotes and conferences; community and corporate events; panels and awareness campaigns, locally and internationally. Each opportunity is considered according to its purpose, audience and alignment with Maria’s advocacy.
Questions partners ask
Your questions, answered.
What makes The Me VS Me Rebuild different?
It is more than a fitness, nutrition or wellbeing program. It brings together lived experience, professional education, practical life skills, personal development and meaningful connection within a structured rebuilding journey. The focus is on the woman as a whole: not only what she has survived, but who she is and what she wants for her future.
Who will be guiding and supporting the women?
Maria Barbaro brings her lived experience and the personal purpose behind Me VS Me Movement. The program is being developed to include education from appropriately qualified professionals and approved guest speakers on emotional wellbeing, self-worth, boundaries, financial wellbeing, women’s health and practical life skills. Final roles and delivery arrangements are confirmed before launch.
Can the program help women better understand their experiences?
Through professional education and shared stories, women may begin to recognise behaviours, understand patterns or find words for experiences they previously struggled to make sense of. For some, that brings reassurance; for others, it opens the door to a conversation with a trusted professional. There is no expectation that every woman will have these moments, and the program is not trauma therapy.
How does the program work alongside our existing services?
It does not replace counselling, crisis support, housing assistance, legal services or case management. It is an additional opportunity for a woman to focus on personal growth, everyday wellbeing and connection while she remains supported by the professionals and organisations she trusts.
Do women have to pay or share their personal experiences?
No. The program is funded through organisational partnerships, so eligible women participate without purchasing a membership. They are never required to share or relive their experiences, join group conversations or complete every activity.
Is the program practical for women with limited financial resources?
Yes. Budget-conscious recipes within a broad library, practical wellbeing resources and movement that needs no gym membership or expensive equipment. Our intention is to make everyday wellbeing feel achievable without creating financial pressure.
Who can see a woman’s personal reflections or information?
Reflections and check-ins are intended to support her own understanding of her progress, not to be seen by other participants. Before the program is offered, we will confirm how the platform manages participant information, who can access it and how it is stored, and communicate this clearly to partners and participants.
What if our referral process doesn’t align with the scheduled intakes?
There are three intakes a year. Tell us your referral needs and we will explore the most practical starting arrangements within the program’s structure.
Do we need to commit to a full year, and what does it cost?
Not necessarily. We welcome a single-intake pilot with selected organisations before a longer-term partnership. Proposals are tailored to the number of funded places and agreed delivery arrangements, and fully costed so you can make an informed decision. Participating women never pay for their own places.
Who provides the technology behind the program?
The Me VS Me Movement member app is powered by MacroActive, a platform used to deliver fitness, nutrition and coaching resources internationally. Platform suitability, privacy, accessibility and digital safeguarding will be confirmed for the intended participants before launch.
Still have questions? Let’s talk Whether you’re considering a pilot, exploring funding or looking for an additional rebuilding opportunity, we’d welcome the chance to hear about your organisation.
Partner with us
Together, we can help more women find their way forward.
A shared purpose. A meaningful partnership. A future filled with possibility.
Every woman deserves the opportunity to feel safe, supported, valued and hopeful about her future. None of this happens overnight, and no single program or organisation can meet every woman’s needs. That is why The Me VS Me Rebuild has been created with collaboration at its heart: lived experience, professional education, practical guidance and genuine human connection, alongside the organisations who stand beside women every day.
Not to change her story, but to help her discover what the next chapter could hold.
Be part of what comes next.
Whether you’re exploring a pilot, looking to support a group of women or considering a longer-term partnership, we would love to hear from you, wherever you are.
Prefer to connect directly? Write to maria@mevsmemovement.com.
A personal message from Maria
“I know how much it can mean to have someone believe in you when you’re still learning to believe in yourself.
My hope for The Me VS Me Rebuild is that more women, wherever they may be, are given the opportunity to rediscover their strength, reconnect with themselves and begin creating a future they can look forward to.
For the women we’ve lost, for the women rebuilding and for the women whose futures we still have the opportunity to help shape.”
Maria Barbaro, Founder, Me VS Me Movement
Important information. The Me VS Me Rebuild is a rebuilding and wellbeing program designed to complement, not replace, specialist domestic and family violence services, counselling, crisis intervention or clinical treatment.
If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, please contact your local emergency services.
Explore a partnership
Tell us about your organisation and the women you support.
Participant numbers, funding and delivery can be discussed once you have made contact. Nothing you enter is shared outside Me VS Me Movement.
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