Sinead Corcoran: Roadtesting hypnotherapy and falling asleep on the job

Hypnotherapy can be a useful tool to help with sleep, stress and anxiety. Photo/123rf

Roadtesting a hypnotherapy session leads to a bed-time breakthrough for a sceptical journalist.

As I was driving to my hypnotherapy-for-anxiety appointment, I felt the dark clouds of a dissociation episode roll in. My vision became distorted, and I lost all feeling in my body. This isn't an uncommon occurrence for me, as I battle with these episodes often due to my severe anxiety disorder – so I was even more hopeful that the hypnotherapy would work. I didn't just need a column out of it, I needed real help.

Hypnosis is a technique that practitioners have used for centuries to treat various mental health conditions, and some studies have found it to be extremely effective in treating anxiety and depression.

I was on my way to see Caroline Cranshaw, a hypnotherapist and health coach "obsessed with helping people heal whatever issues they may have". She's also the author of the Amazon bestseller The Smoking Cure: How to Quit Smoking Without Feeling Like Sh*t, and has promised to help me quit vaping – which we'll get to in a later column.

Arriving at her clinic in Auckland for my 90-minute appointment, I assumed we'd jump straight into dangling the pocket watch in front of my face, but I was surprised to discover the first hour is more of a therapy session. She asked me all about my struggles with anxiety and dissociation, the medications I take, and my childhood trauma. So not really an appointment you'd want to schedule on your lunch break, as it's pretty heavy.

She then explained the theory of "parts" to me, which is that your subconscious mind is made up of lots of different versions of you, and the part that processes your anxiety is often "Little You" around 7 years old. Naturally, Little You isn't equipped to keep Big You safe and calm as they're only 7, so they're shrieking with fear all the time like a normal freaked-out kid would. Caroline explained that through hypnotherapy, we would be able to tap into Little Me and reassure them that Big Me has everything covered and that we're all good.

After settling me into a big cosy armchair and wrapping me in a fur blanket like a very regal toddler, Caroline began the hypnotherapy. I remember parts of it. She talked about cutting the cord that was attached between me and toxic people in my life and floating up above myself and reassuring Little Me that their emotions are healthy and not to worry because I'll keep them safe. I can't remember anything after that, except jolting upright in my little furry cocoon because I had fallen asleep.

Fun fact about me is I've never had a one-night stand because I cannot literally sleep next to someone I don't know very, very well, and it took me months before I was able to stay the night with my now-fiance. But that all changed apparently with Caroline and her soothing hypnosis. I had been absolutely conked out, then awoke feeling like I'd been in a beautiful healing coma. I felt calm, content and my dissociation episode had dissipated. Afterwards she also sent me a recording of the session so I could listen to it while I go to sleep at night, like a very special bespoke bedtime story.

I didn't believe in hypnotherapy before I met Caroline, and while I know it doesn't work for everyone – it definitely worked for me. And even if you don't believe in that kind of thing, I reckon it's still worth paying for a session to have the best nap of your life.