Is ‘Shrinking’ Based on a True Story? All About the Real People Who Inspired It

If Shrinking feels incredibly relatable and real — that’s because it is.

The Apple TV show, which is inspired by real stories and people, stars Jason Segel as grieving therapist Jimmy, who begins exploring unconventional methods of therapy after his wife dies, alongside fellow practitioners Gaby (Jessica Williams) and Paul (Harrison Ford).

The show was created by Segel and Ted Lasso writers Bill Lawrence and Brett Goldstein, who also plays Louis, the man who killed Jimmy’s wife. Lawrence and Goldstein both drew inspiration from their own lives while penning the script.

Specifically, Goldstein’s father suffers from Parkinson’s disease, which served as inspiration for Paul, who is also diagnosed with the illness.

From the inspiration behind Jimmy and Paul to how the idea for Shrinking came about, here’s everything to know about the real people and situations that inspired the Shrinking characters.

Is Shrinking based on a true story?

No, Shrinking isn’t strictly based on a true story, but it is inspired by real people and events that happened to them.

While Lawrence worked as the head writer and creator on Ted Lasso, he began discussing a new show with Goldstein that would hopefully be as realistic and heartwarming as their original hit.

Not only did Lawrence draw from his father’s real-life struggles with Lewy Body Dementia — what he described to the Los Angeles Times as an extension of Parkinson’s disease — but he also was inspired by the grief he felt many around him were experiencing.

“Brett and I, when we were talking about doing the show — and unfortunately on the heels of a pandemic and the way the world is right now — everybody in our world is one step removed from dealing with heavy grief,” he told the outlet in March 2023.

He added, “Look, my dad’s struggling, and it is a day-to-day thing. It encompasses a lot of my personal life because I’m very close with him, but we meet it with humor.”

While speaking with Radio Times in January 2023, Lawrence further illuminated how Goldstein’s father’s struggles with Parkinson’s influenced the show.

“His dad lines up with the show, his dad has Parkinson’s, and he was looking to write a show that comedically dealt with grief, that we laugh at this s— because it’s a great way to get through it,” Lawrence said. “We kind of combined forces and we were casual about it, we didn’t know if it would happen.”

Who is Jimmy based on?

The central focus of Shrinking revolves around unconventional therapist Jimmy who is struggling with grief after his wife is killed by a drunk driver.

Jimmy’s journey from loss to finding himself and love again was based on someone Lawrence knew in real life.

“There’s a specific real person it was based on that I know who lost a spouse and a child, and then one kid was still alive,” Lawrence told The Radio Times. “He checked out. He was just too sad and debilitated for about a year and a half. He’s great now, he’s remarried, he actually has another kid with his wife.”

Lawrence continued, “So it was a personal story that we were tracking with that journey, because I find it so impressive that this person, when you see them now, has recaptured the joy and spirit that I first-hand witnessed before it happened.”

Who is Paul based on?

The ever-grouchy Paul may be the character who hits closest to home for the Shrinking creative team, as he is loosely based on Goldstein’s father.

In November 2024, Goldstein joined Late Night with Seth Meyers and spoke about how he wasn’t initially going to reveal that the character was inspired by his dad publicly, but it turned out that Goldstein’s father was only excited for people to know that Ford was playing a representation of him.

“So my dad has Parkinson’s, and it wasn’t something we weren’t going to talk about publicly when we were talking about the show,” Goldstein said. “And then Bill Lawrence let it slip by accident and I called my dad, and I was like, ‘Listen, Dad, Bill said about you having Parkinson’s. I hope that’s not a problem.’ ”

He continued, “And my dad said, ‘Are you telling everyone that I’m Harrison Ford?’ And I said, ‘Yeah,’ and he went, ‘F—ing cool. Go for it. Please, go for it.’ ”

Did any real therapists inspire the characters on Shrinking?

In addition to Goldstein’s dad, Paul’s character was inspired by real-life famous celebrity therapist, Phil Stutz, whose clients include Jonah Hill, John Stamos and Lawrence’s own wife (and actress on the show), Christa Miller. The therapist also has Parkinson’s in real life.

“Without a doubt, you know, [Paul is] loosely based on a guy named Phil Stutz, this therapist who has Parkinson’s,” Lawrence shared on the We Disrupt This Broadcast podcast.

He continued, “He wrote a best selling book called The Tools, and he is very much a man of the people, blue collar guy, and what I’ve always found so fascinating about him, he without a doubt, says, you know, some of my insight into my own limitations is I think what’s made me be very good at what I do. And so that’s kind of what we’re looking at with Paul.”

Stutz is also known for his unconventional methods of therapy in which he often befriends his clients, much like Jimmy.