With 12 children by six different women and a demanding career in Hollywood, Nick Cannon has a lot to manage. However, he’s not doing it without therapy for the whole family.
The 44-year-old comedian and actor recently shared with Vulture how therapy has helped him grow as an individual and navigate fatherhood, which he admits may have progressed through some “careless activity.”
“How did I have five kids in one year? Probably careless activity,” he quipped.
He also unpacked a recent diagnosis he received that made headlines.
“I had been talking to my personal therapist, and some of the therapists on “Counsel Culture,” and I was like, ‘They throw this word narcissist around so much … ‘I’m not a narcissist.’ And when I took the test, they were like, ‘Yeah, no — you’re definitely a narcissist,’” he told the outlet.
The father of 12 explained that while he ultimately came to embrace the diagnosis, he doesn’t have all of the traits of a narcissist, including, thankfully, a lack of empathy or bouts of rage. In addition to learning more about his narcissism, Cannon also told the publication he’s come to understand much more about himself through his many interactions with therapists, from seeking them out to interviewing them on his podcast. He’s also been attending therapy with his oldest children and hopes to eventually attend therapy with all 12.
Cannon shares twins Moroccan and Monroe with ex-wife Mariah Carey; sons Golden Sagon and Rise Messiah Cannon and daughter Powerful Queen with Brittany Bell; twins Zion Mixolydian and Zillion Heir and daughter Beautiful Zeppelin with Abby De La Rosa; son Legendary Love with Bre Tiesi; and daughter Onyx Ice Cole with LaNisha Cole.
He is also father to son Zen, who died at 5 months old in December 2021 after being diagnosed with brain cancer, and daughter Halo, 2, with Alyssa Scott.
Therapy has even helped him parse through whether he’s properly grieving the death of his son. Ultimately, Cannon expressed that no matter what, people will have their opinions about his parenting and lifestyle.
“But one thing I know is that whatever my children want to do, I can help cultivate and amplify — whether that’s through finances, whether that’s through connections, whether that’s through my ability to just parent well, to where I can put you in the best schools,” he said. “They get the cheat code. It’s maybe not the traditional or conventional way of parenting. Everybody else says, ‘There’s no way he could spend all the time with them kids and be present for all them kids.’ But I’m doing my best, and where I fall short, hopefully the things that I do have that bring me an advantage, I can lend to them.”
