Honestly, I don't particularly care for commendations. They're pretty useless, except for when I'm not familiar with a class.. maybe. I look at them as a "you're doing good, nice job", which is what they are. If people like my play-style that's awesome, I'm glad I can satisfy. However, if I don't get any, then I just kind of brush it off. Usually when I'm actually doing something weird or wrong people kind of say so.

Anyway, on-topic. I DPS as a WHM regardless of what my party might think. It makes the runs faster and I don't feel like I'm about to pass out by doing that. Seriously, it's boring to not DPS.

I'd just say forget the commendations, DPS it out. I hate healers who just stand around when they could be speeding up the fight (though I do it sometimes myself). If it's something like a heavy fight where the tank needs to get immediate attention at a moment's notice (like T9 when it was relevant), then I can understand entirely. Otherwise, DPS.