About Changed Lives New Journeys:

Changed Lives, New Journeys is for:

People trying to understand brain injury

People looking for strategies that might help.

People who are new to brain injury.

Much of my early work was with supporters of people with brain injury who suddenly find themselves part of the journey without a map. While each have different needs I also want to share with people living with brain injury their family and friends.

Here you will find:
  • a place to share what we have each learned about brain injury.
  • easy to understand, simple, clear explanations of what happens after brain injury with tips and strategies that might help. – if it’s not clear tell me HERE.
  • articles, interviews, recommended books, video clips, ANYTHING I can find to make learning interesting and maybe even fun at times.
Changed Lives New Journeys  is a learning and sharing place:
  • To help you build your confidence.
  • Letting people know they are not alone – someone understands and it’s real.
  • Reinforcing that what you see is not deliberate, brain injury has many many outcomes.
  • Where you can ask questions, share strategies, understand more about brain injury
  • A place you can visit anytime, anywhere.
  • A place where comment and discussion is encouraged

A place where I am happy to share lessons learned over 25 years of working with people who have a brain injury and their families, and educating people who are supporting people with brain injury.

About Me – Melanie Atkins:


I have worked all my adult life to ensure every person has the opportunity to live life fully and meaningfully.

My belief is that we are all stronger and better for having everyone included in our community life. This can happen if each person has the right support, in the right way, at the right time.

I love working with people to make this happen. Working together to create a life where people have the support they need to be part of their community life.

Much of my work in the past 25 years has been working with people who live with a brain injury.

The people I work with; know what they have lost; they want it back; and there is no second best. This has been a great (though challenging) starting place and a great fit with my beliefs.

There have been a lot of lessons learned, I am still being challenged, still learning and still feel the same enormous sense of privilege being with people whose lives have been so significantly changed yet continue to approach life with courage and resilience.

Beyond this I have my fantastic extended and blended family, which sees the dinner table expand between two and thirteen; a travelling heart that likes to roam new ideas and the world; a great volunteering adventure with the Alola Foundation supporting families in Timor-Leste and a belief that I cannot possibly be 60+.

What do I believe:
  • That every person should have the opportunity to live as part of their community
  • Every person with the right support, in the right way at the right time can be a part of their community
  • Being comfortable with difference expands your life and contributes to improving the lives of others.
  • We should leave everything a bit (or a lot) better than we found it: the earth, people we meet, places we inhabit, our own lives.
A bit more about what have I done that enables me to share the lessons I have learned;
  •  25 years working closely with people with brain injury and their families.
  • 12 years leading an organisation that supported more than 2,000 people living with brain injury
  • recruiting, employing, educating and supporting  over 4,000 people to work with people living with brain injury
  • 10 years educating people about brain injury and sharing strategies to assist people live their lives fully
  • ongoing research and learning at Changed Lives New Journeys

You can contact me, Melanie at Changed Lives New Journeys anytime – info@changedlivesnewjourneys.com. Please don’t give up it sometimes takes me a while to respond these days.