The evolving role of the school counselor reflects a commitment to supporting the holistic development and well-being of all students, addressing the complex challenges they face, and creating learning environments where every student can thrive academically, socially, and emotionally. School-based mental health programs and strategies are becoming more useful to secondary schools. The challenge remains on how to balance the academic requirements of high school with the social emotional learning and mental health supports to improve the mental health outlook of so many of today's youth who are struggling. To explore the effectiveness of calming spaces in secondary schools, the researcher will explore the lived experiences of staff members who have access to a calming space in their schools. Through a qualitative, phenomenological design, the researcher will collect administrator, staff, and parent perceptions of the effectiveness of the calming space, a school-based mental health support. This study starts by reviewing the literature regarding the history of mental health in schools and the evolution of services provided throughout the years. The teenage brain is discussed, with emphasis on the changes that occur in adolescence that allow this age to be more prone to mental health issues. The conversation then changes to the current issues facing teenagers and the evidenced based strategies that aid in improving the mental health of young people on the edge of adulthood. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]