I am trained through the International End of Life Doula Association (US 2017) and certified with addition training through the Institute of Traditional Medicine (2022). I have a BFA from OCADU and also attended Queen’s University. I have participated in trauma-informed academic and peer-led workshops in harm reduction, anti-racism, diversity and inclusion, queer theory, and theology. I am trained in Usui Reiki level two, completed a John Kabat Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction course, and am currently studying Clinical Hypnosis at the University of Toronto and Psychotherapy at the Gestalt Institute of Toronto. If you’ve browsed my services and aren’t sure where to start, feel free to reach out using the form here. I offer a 20 min free consultation to everyone that is interested in working with me. This is a chance for us to connect and comb through your exact needs so that I may be of best service to you. Whether you are certain about what you need or whether you are left with more questions as to how a death doula may guide you or your family members, let’s have a chat and see what might feel right for you. All work is confidential and my code of ethics is available by request (I abide by INELDA’s code of ethics. Thank you for your trust and interest! I deeply look forward to connecting with you.
Founded by Brooke in 2013, she created Likely General, a celebrated shop, art gallery, and multi-functional space encouraging the work of over 300 queer and marginalized artists. Deeply motivated by responsible consumerism, empathy, and transparency, Likely was established through a fervent passion to help foster a community of sustainability, responsibility, and care surrounding artist-made work. Likely maintained a regular donation budget as well to distribute funds throughout our community based on need and urgency. Though Likely closed it’s doors in 2023, it’s spirit lives forever in those that supported and encouraged it’s growth. Please stop by the Likely instagram to read our goodbye and the incredible messages that followed.
Brooke Manning’s poetry has been published by Metatron Press, You Care Too Much (Without/Pretend), The 4 Poets (Swimmers Group), Feels Zine, Lighthouse Magazine (Queens University), His/Hers Quarterly (Queens University), to name a few. Her first book, ‘So Far From the Water and Thirsty’, made with visual artist Alicia Nauta, is nearly sold out of it’s second edition. It is available through Printed Matter, Likely General, Emily Carr READ bookshop, Commune (Tokyo), and Klassic Koole Shoppe.
Loom is the Toronto-based project of Brooke Manning since 2009. A death doula and community driven artist & poet, Brooke creates music from the same place that informs her death service and personal practice. Writing often but performing infrequently, she is motivated by a deliberate slow cultivation of life, self, service, and the understanding that all expression is rooted in both fear and love. Comparisons to Low, Julie Dorion, and Mazzy Star. She has opened for Beverly Glenn Copeland, Godspeed You Black Emperor!, Kaki King, and The Microphones, to name a few. Whether she performs solo or with rotating band members [Leah Goldstein (July Talk), Kyla Charter, Norah Sadava, Dani Nash (July Talk), Julie Title, and Lana Leprich] her purposely circuitous and deliberate plucking and vocals draw a slow strength from that very place most people run from. Her new live ep ‘rarefied air’ will be released April 23rd 2024 through Tibet Street Records.
“…a minimalist strumming style to say the least, with an absolutely beautiful, haunting voice. In a way, she struck me as a bit of a female Thom Yorke, except without any trace of pretension.”
-consequence of sound
“After several iterative imaginations, LOOM's hypnotic perturbations are wholly realized within Epyllion's twilight embrace. Tenuous cinders warm the mesmeric dissonance embedding LOOM's succession into dactylic grace and splendid nylon minimalism; a transfiguration well worth Epyllion's meditative endurance. Existing in a plane beyond idyllic notions of folk, pop, and mellowtude, the album emerges between disparate walls of sinusoidal classification, unveiling the lingering ashes of lysergic ritual. Grip gently.”
-weird canada
“Too many artists seem to think the way to create atmosphere is to break out the synths and build up a bed of airy new-age nonsense. Loom, the vehicle of songwriter Brooke Manning, knows otherwise. Epyllion, Loom’s debut, deals in ambience, but it’s always organic and warm to the touch. It comprises languid, barely-strummed guitars and little else, aside from Manning’s exquisite voice. She’s been compared to “a female Thom Yorke,” but her tenor is much less strident and, frankly, a lot more listenable. Standout tracks “There is Blood in My Body” and “Is It Love” float atop two chords or less for up to seven minutes, but there’s nothing boring about either. Epyllion is slow and ragged. It’s sad like the best Julie Doiron records, it shivers like the best Microphones records, and it’s easily the best thing to grace the Carillon review shelf this year.”
-carillon