When Does Commitment Become Compulsion? | A Conversation with Dr. Matthew Cooney

What happens when the very behaviors that earn us praise are also the ones quietly causing harm?

In this episode, Amy and Candace sit down with Dr. Matthew Cooney to explore the connections between achievement, addiction, identity, and the cultures we create in education. Matt shares his personal recovery journey and how it reshaped not only his life, but also his research on recovery support in higher education.

Together, they examine why educators often celebrate overwork, why productivity becomes tied to self-worth, and how institutions can better support the people within them. Rather than focusing only on addiction, this conversation asks broader questions about the systems that reward exhaustion, the stories we tell about commitment, and the communities we need to sustain meaningful work

Key Question:

What happens when the very behaviors that earn us praise are also the ones quietly causing harm?

Topics Discussed:

• Achievement, perfectionism, and identity

• Recovery and redefining success

• Productivity, validation, and educator culture

• Why asking for help can feel so difficult

• bell hooks. Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom (1994) https://academictrap.files.wordpress.com/2015/03/bell-hooks-teaching-to-transgress.pdf 

• Parker J. Palmer. The Courage to Teach: Exploring the Inner Landscape of a Teacher's Life (1998) https://people.wou.edu/~girodm/library/palmer.pdf 

Victoria F. Burns' research on recovery-supportive campuses: https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=Victoria+Burns+recovery+higher+education 

Support Resources

If today's conversation brought up difficult emotions or concerns for you or someone you care about, please know that support is available. Recovery is possible, and reaching out is a sign of strength.

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline Call or text 988 https://988lifeline.org

SAMHSA National Helpline 1-800-662-HELP (4357) https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/national-helpline

Alcoholics Anonymous https://www.aa.org

Narcotics Anonymous https://na.org

SMART Recovery https://smartrecovery.org

Al-Anon Family Groups https://al-anon.org

Nar-Anon Family Groups https://www.nar-anon.org

For Educators

Many schools, districts, colleges, and universities also offer confidential support through Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs), counseling services, wellness initiatives, and mental health benefits. If you're struggling, consider reaching out to learn what resources are available through your employer.

Try This After Listening

Parents: Talk with your children about how they define success. Is it based on what they accomplish, or who they are becoming?

Teachers: Reflect on one area where you've equated exhaustion with commitment. What might it look like to measure success differently this year?

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