Chris Rock reveals he increased therapy sessions to seven hours a week when pandemic began

Actor previously revealed he was in therapy after diagnosis of nonverbal learning disorder

Chris Rock reveals he increased therapy sessions amid pandemic (AFP via Getty Images)

Chris Rock has revealed that he increased his therapy sessions to seven hours a week when the pandemic began, while opening about what he has learned about himself through the visits.

The comedian discussed his therapy visits during an interview with Gayle King for CBS Sunday Morning, where he explained that he has learned he can “be very hard on myself”.

“I learned that I could be very hard on myself,” he said. “Like really, really hard on myself, and I need to relax. And I need to listen, I need to take chances.”

Rock also shared what can be difficult about the sessions, telling King that you have to go into therapy prepared to share the “worst part of yourself”.

“You have to tell the truth,” he said during the interview, set to air Sunday. “You have to tell - you have to go into therapy prepared to tell the worst part of yourself every week, you know?”

When asked what the hardest truth to reveal has been, the 55-year-old reflected on his past, recognising that there have been moments where he “wasn’t kind,” “wasn’t listening” or was “selfish”.

“And sometimes, you know, I took advantage of circumstances, and positions, of you know, just everyday things,” he continued. “And you know, it’s ultimately, who do you want to be?”

Rock first revealed in September that he was in weekly therapy with two therapists after being diagnosed with a condition called nonverbal learning disorder.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter at the time, the actor said that the condition means he has trouble interpreting non-verbal signals during social interactions.

“All I understand are the words,” he said, adding that his literal interpretations are “really great for writing jokes,” but “not great for one-on-one relationships”.

Since learning about the condition, the Fargo star said he’s been able to better understand negative interactions he’s had.  

“I’d always just chalked it up to being famous,” he explained. “Any time someone would respond to me in a negative way, I’d think: 'Whatever, they’re responding to something that has to do with who they think I am.' Now, I’m realising it was me. A lot of it was me.”

According to Rock, he learned of his diagnosis after a friend suggested that he may have Asperger’s, which led to the actor undergoing nine hours of cognitive tests.