Pioneers in their fields, art therapist Judy Rubin and drama therapist Ellie Irwin, founded EMI in 1985. In 1963 Judy initiated an art therapy program at Western Psychiatric Institute & Clinic (WPIC). In 1964 Ellie started a drama therapy program, and later an expressive arts program at the Pittsburgh Child Guidance Center (PCGC).

In 1981 Judy and Ellie developed and Co-Chaired the Department of Creative & Expressive Arts Therapies (CEAT) at WPIC. In 1985 they founded EMI, in order to be able to disseminate films and videotapes on the arts in therapy.

Judy saw the power of the media firsthand as the Art Lady for "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" on PBS. Inspired by "Looking for Me," a film by dance therapist Janet Adler, Judy and Ellie made several films which have recently been revised.

While writing "Art Therapy: An Introduction", Judy made a film to illustrate its contents, "Art Therapy Has Many Faces". This led to a commission by the American Art Therapy Association for the film "Beyond Words" which has been re-mastered and is now available on a new DVD, “Art Therapy With Older Adults”. "You Can Learn a Lot from a Lobster," which demonstrates an assessment technique for families, is now available in the new DVD, “The Family Puppet Interview.” 

In 2009, EMI released two classic films in Dance/Movement Therapy by pioneer Janet Adler, Ph.D., ADTR. “Looking for Me” and “Still Looking.” These films demonstrate work with normal adults and children, as well as with autistic youngsters. Both are now available in a single DVD, titled "Dance Therapy and Authentic Movement." In 2010, we completed and released "Creative Healing in Mental Health: Art & Drama in Assessment & Therapy," now also available. 

We are more convinced than ever of the need for resources such as these, and are excited about being able to provide inspirational films for a new generation of creative arts therapists.

COMING IN 2011: "Art Therapy Has Many Faces," our award-winning film that has sold thousands of copies worldwide, will soon be available in a multilingual, international edition with subtitles in English, German, Spanish, French, Italian, Greek, Russian, Portuguese, Hebrew, Korean, Japanese, and Thai. This project was made possible through co-sponsorship by arts therapies organizations in Europe and Asia.