E54: We Aren't That Different with Jared Stewart

The world is designed for the average person. So how can the average person extend compassion toward those who are different than average to help them navigate a world not designed for them? This is the conversation we have with Jared Stewart on this episode of the Infuse Compassion Podcast. Jared is the program director at ScenicView Academy, where he helps empower young adults with autism and other neurodiversities to achieve greater independence and success. As someone diagnosed on the autism spectrum as an adult, Jared speaks from experience about the challenges of navigating a world built for the “average person.” Listen in as we discuss: - How compassion is a key component in helping anyone achieve success. - The importance of recognizing and embracing the different mountains we must climb. - How to best help people with neurodiversities without being overbearing. - What it means to “surrender the one up” and why that is crucial in showing compassion. This insightful conversation reminds us that we are all much more alike than we are different. In a world built for average, we can rise above average by infusing more compassion. Jared Stewart, M.Ed., BCBA, was named the 2011 Educator of the Year by the National Association of Private Special Education Centers, the 2018 Presenter of the Year by the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs, and the 2020 Hero for Autism by the Autism Resources of Utah County Council. As a Program Director for Provo Utah’s ScenicView Academy— a transitional school for neurodiverse adults targeting functional independence— he teaches his students to recognize and embrace the strengths of their diagnoses while they strive to maximize their potential for success. As an adjunct professor at Utah Valley University, he helps run their annual Conference on Autism and assists with the Melisa Nellesen Center’s Passages Program as a life-skills instructor and curriculum developer. He is the former governor-appointed Chair of the Utah Developmental Disabilities Council and currently serves on several local and national advisory boards for autism and related conditions. Jared has spent over two decades working with neurodivergent adolescents and adults as a teacher, life coach, and licensed behavior analyst, and has shared his views on the techniques and mindsets that lead to improved outcomes for these individuals with audiences around the world. His passion for the subject arises from personal experience: he has numerous family members on the Spectrum, and he was diagnosed with autism himself as an adult. In his rare free moments, Jared enjoys reading, hiking, writing, and spending time with his wife and three children. Throughout his career he has always adhered to to the belief that there is untapped greatness in everyone, regardless of their so-called “disabilities”. Contact Jared: jareds@svacademy.org www.svacademy.org www.facebook.com/Jared-Stewart-MEd www.linkedin.com/in/Jared-Stewart-MEd-BCBA Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices