Pat is a certified death doula with decades of hospice nursing experience. She specializes in emotional, spiritual, and practical support that honors each person’s unique values, needs and wishes. These portraits were used for her business website, Sacred Connections Doula Services, where she guides individuals and families through the end-of-life journey with clarity, compassion, and connection. Scheduling beach photoshoots in Long Beach is always a little challenging because of the unpredictable weather. After a few weeks of trying to find the perfect session date, we spontaneously ran to the beach one evening when we were blessed with sunshine. Although “golden hour” was initially our goal, we ended up with a beautiful cool blue haze as the sun was going down, which serendipitously aligned with the Sacred Connections theme. Just like the natural ritual of saying farewell to the sun at the end of each day, Pat uses her gifts and experience to create space where death is not feared, but honored as a meaningful and transformative part of the human experience.
