Making Something Out of Nothing by David Gussak Ph.D., ATR-BC

Jimmy, a 45-year-old inmate—who looked ten years older—was in prison for vehicular manslaughter. He had been in prison for several years before he was sent to the mental health unit for suicidal thoughts. It soon became clear that since imprisoned he had been taken advantage of by other inmates and ignored by the prison staff. He soon tended to “blend into the background” to avoid drawing negative attention. Eventually he lost all sense of self. He was placed in the art therapy group as he rarely engaged with the other mental health staff. 
In one session, the group was asked to take white paper and glue and “make the most out of nothing,” by creating a paper sculpture; it could be anything—something recognizable, or abstract. This is similar to their prison experience—they enter prison stripped of everything, and to succeed they have to make the most out of nothing.

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