Founders: Celebrating 50 Years of CDM
CDM Founders, Mary Ellen and Doc, always loved to laugh, have fun, and enjoy life. They believed spiritual work needs to be bright and joyous. From the very beginning, they introduced and maintained their presentation of information with joy.
Mary Ellen and Doc met in Berkeley, CA at the Berkeley Psychic Institute, each training for six months. Doc already lived in Washington, so they moved Mary Ellen from California to Seattle, WA with her two cats. Many personal issues had to be settled, as well as the Church being established. Doc and Mary Ellen managed to do it with an amazing amount of fun.
As they began to establish programs in Seattle and teach people, there was a very enthusiastic response. So CDM grew rapidly. They were married very soon after they arrived in Seattle which brought them even closer together and strengthened their relationship.
When the house became too small for living and teaching, Doc and Mary Ellen bought a house close by to live in. This created a more private space for them to enjoy their new marriage. They created time to travel to eastern Washington to visit Doc’s orchard and his children, and to enjoy the beauties of WA state. Family and friends visited them often in Seattle.
Throughout the growth and development of CDM, Mary Ellen and Doc always created space for personal healing, travelling annually to Hawaii and Mexico. They made friends wherever they went. Deep sea fishing for marlin and swordfish, fishing in the lakes in eastern WA, camping in the National Parks, cooking, sight-seeing and many other adventures were part of their vacation time together.
Throughout their work and play with CDM, they often put their attention on having a party – whether that was a group going out to dinner or celebrating a CDM Anniversary at the Space Needle. One of the mottos they lived and led by is: “If you have a success, celebrate! If you don’t succeed, celebrate!” Many of the CDM guidelines were created from those ‘not so successful events’.
Mary Ellen and Doc both believed in love on a spiritual level, and that God is within and around each of us. They wanted love to be the light of the organization, teaching techniques to introduce everyone to themselves, the spirit, and to their direct connection with God. With Mary Ellen still leading the organization fifty years later, spiritual validation and our oneness with God still remain the focus of CDM.
For information on Mary Ellen and Doc’s educational and professional histories:
