I used the calmbirth skills through my first, induced labour. I was able to breathe through the contractions and meditated my way to the bottom of the sea. I had to keep 'coming up to the surface' to use the toilet and to talk. It was the toughest thing I've done and I was surprised by how tough it was mentally. Mind you, I was induced and it was cranked up to the max and was relentless from the start. I also didn't react well to the drug and vomited the entire time I got up or moved, which didn't help me to have an active birth! I was so calm that the midwives didn't believe me when I requested pain relief (this was after it was decided that it was going to be a c/s birth and I had to wait a few hours).
Main point is, when I tried VBAC with our second, I couldn't be induced and I experienced 'normal' contractions and they were like a walk in the park compared to being induced. I remember thinking 'oh I can deal with these ones'. I also did the hynobirthing with DS2 and had a doula with us.