Sylvia, The Wood Nymph Honored on Two Prestigious National Stages in 2026

We are deeply honored to share that the documentary film, Sylvia, The Wood Nymph, has been accepted for two prestigious presentations in 2026, marking a major milestone for this extraordinary project and for the broader conversation around childhood maltreatment, dissociative identity disorder (DID), and recovery.

The first presentation will take place as a special Inga Taylor Memorial Grand Rounds on Friday, April 10, 2026, at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) in Charleston. This is an especially meaningful venue: Sylvia herself was treated at MUSC, and the Department of Psychiatry will sponsor a public screening of the film in the Institute of Psychiatry auditorium during Child Abuse Prevention Month. Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits will be offered for those who wish to participate.

For our collaborator Dr. Timothy Brewerton, professor of psychiatry at MUSC and a nationally recognized leader in the field, this moment represents a long-held dream. To have Sylvia, The Wood Nymph featured as an Inga Taylor Memorial Grand Rounds is a profound honor—one that reflects both the clinical importance of the work and the courage of the individuals whose stories it tells.

"I began treating Sylvia at MUSC and increasingly aspired to share her story in order to help other psychiatrists and students learn about childhood trauma and dissociation. To be back at MUSC almost 40 years later -- now with this feature film celebrating her life and recovery -- is a wonderful full-circle moment." ~ Dr. Timothy Brewerton

In addition, Sylvia, The Wood Nymph has been accepted as a Media Presentation at the May 2026 American Psychiatric Association (APA) Annual Meeting in San Francisco—placing the film at the center of contemporary dialogue among clinicians, researchers, educators, and policymakers.

The film tells the true story of Sylvia, a woman who developed DID following severe early childhood maltreatment, including childhood sexual abuse and neglect—now recognized as extreme forms of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). Through rare and extraordinary footage of psychotherapy sessions filmed between 1988 and 1991, audiences witness Sylvia’s internal world with remarkable immediacy, including real-time switching of identities and her eventual journey toward full integration and healing.

Alongside Dr. Brewerton, the film features Sylvia’s husband and best friend, as well as leading experts in the field, including Frank Putnam, MD; Richard Loewenstein, MD; Bethany Brand, PhD; and Robert Post, MD. Their commentary bridges decades of clinical research, spanning epidemiology, neurobiology, neuroimaging, epigenetics, and psychotherapy, while also confronting the historical skepticism and political resistance that have shaped—and often constrained—this field.

At its heart, Sylvia, The Wood Nymph is both a scientific and deeply human story. It affirms what Sylvia herself wished for this legacy: that anyone who is struggling might learn that healing and recovery are possible. We are profoundly grateful to share this work on such significant stages and to continue advancing understanding, compassion, and evidence-based dialogue around some of psychiatry’s most challenging—and most necessary—topics.

The full 5 hour course is available for CME/CEs.  Learn more here.