‘Married At First Sight’ Star Mindy Has No Regrets Despite Early Divorce

No one would blame Mindy Shiben for any resentment or regret after “Married at First Sight” Season 10. Her marriage fell apart before the 8-week filming period ended after she discovered that her husband Zach Justice was secretly talking to one of her friends. However, the divorcee told International Business Times why she doesn’t regret joining the Lifetime reality show in an email Q&A, and it sounds like she even left the show feeling more independent and empowered.

IBT: If you could go back in time and give yourself advice at the beginning of filming, what would you say?

Mindy: If I could go back to the beginning, I’d tell myself “don’t let anyone (including your own husband) define who you are.” For whatever reason, I didn’t meet Zach’s expectations and I’ve never felt so unwanted. Now I realize that was his problem and I should have never given someone else the power to lessen my opinion of myself.

IBT: What was the most important thing you learned about yourself throughout the season?

Mindy: I can take a lot, but that doesn’t mean I should. I was a people pleaser and I went into this thinking about how I was going to be a perfect wife and make my husband so happy. I was too focused on what I could offer compared to what I needed to receive. One person putting in 98% and the other putting in 2% (on a good day) is not a marriage.

IBT: Tell us about watching your relationship back on the show. Is it awkward? Enlightening? Frustrating?

Mindy: I have so many mixed emotions when I watch my relationship unfold on the show. There are moments when I want to pull myself out of my TV (like on recommitment day), and say, “What the heck are you doing?” and other times where I’m really proud of myself for how I handled situations. In general, I’m grateful that this experience is documented and that I get to share my journey with so many people.

IBT: What do you wish viewers got to see more of?

Mindy: My friends did so much for me “behind the scenes” to lift me up when things got really tough. I wish viewers got to see more of them as they were such an important part of my journey.

IBT: Who did you form the closest friendship with among the other brides/grooms?

Mindy: I formed such strong connections with all the brides, and I’m so blessed to have them in my life. Jessica was the first person I met at initial interviews for the show and we hit it off right away. She’s such a generous, warm-hearted, funny person. While I love the whole bride tribe to pieces, I think I have the most in common with Jessica. I just can’t keep up with the girls in their 20s anymore!

IBT: Do you have any regrets?

Mindy: I’m a firm believer that everything happens for a reason. That being said, I don’t have any regrets. For a while I thought, “I should have walked away sooner” or “I should have demanded more respect earlier in the process,” but my mistakes have taught me so much.

IBT: What is the most important thing for future “Married at First Sight” cast members to know?

Mindy: I think it’s important for future “Married at First Sight” participants to know that this experience is a gift and shouldn’t be taken for granted. It’s really upsetting to see how some past participants have treated production and even the experts. These people work tirelessly to give the participants the opportunity of a lifetime. Future participants should know that things will get tough, but that’s not a reason to disrespect production, the experts, other participants, and especially one’s spouse.

“Married at First Sight” Season 10 airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. EDT on Lifetime. Return to IBT for more interviews with the cast leading up to the finale.