Marriage Lab

Aaron & Jenna Zint

Aaron and Jenna have been married for over a decade and love talking to people about their relationships, the messiness, the struggle and the victories in all of it. If you're married or planning on it, you can expect 1) Tools for the growth of your marriage and you personally 2) Hope for a healthy marriage no matter what you've experienced up to this point 3) Laughter and comfort when you say, "That's totally us!" and "We've been there!" If you've enjoyed our podcasts, would you consider financially supporting the show?We set-up a secure way for you to do that. This helps the Zints to continue to be able to prioritize making content for you! We appreciate it so much!http://patreon.com/TheHabitLab

  1. FEB 26

    Stop Calling Strategies “Needs”

    In this episode, we unpack one of the most practical distinctions we teach: the difference between a need and a strategy. A need is a relational longing: connection, safety, being seen, being prioritized. A strategy is your idea of how that need should get met: date night, quicker texts, no phones at night, doing the dishes before sitting down. The problem is, most of us accidentally disguise strategies as needs… and that’s where control sneaks in. We talk about why that feels so painful (for both people), how “requests” turn into “demands” when there’s punishment attached, and why collaboration creates way more buy-in than prescriptions ever will. We'll talk about how to peel back the strategy to name the real need underneath, so you can fight less about the method and connect more around the longing. Support the show ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >>> Become a sponor of our shows This helps Jenna & Aaron to continue to be able to prioritize making content for you! We appreciate it so much. Simply click on this link & you'll support both of the Zints' podcasts!! patreon.com/TheHabitLab Check out our website ZintSquad.com for coaching individual and couple's coaching appointments, Online Small Groups, Aaron's book, Jenna's Habit Lab Mastery Course and more. Please review, subscribe and share your favorite episodes with a friend! Links: Online Small Group - Porn Recovery Course Couples Coaching, Habit Coaching, Porn Recovery Coaching, Emotional & Relational Health Coaching Book: Numb to Known: The Surprising Path Away From Porn

    36 min
  2. FEB 18

    Understanding Yourself Without Staying Stuck

    Sometimes self-awareness helps us grow… and sometimes it quietly gives us permission to stay exactly where we are. In this episode, we talk about the subtle ways insight can turn into self-justification—whether it’s personality types, triggers, habits, or even love languages—and how awareness is meant to become a starting point for transformation, not a comfortable resting place. We share stories from our own marriage about conflict avoidance, travel differences, stress habits, and learning how to let understanding lead to maturity rather than excuses. If you’ve ever heard the phrase, “That’s just how I am,” this conversation will help reframe awareness as an invitation to grow—one small, intentional step at a time. Support the show ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >>> Become a sponor of our shows This helps Jenna & Aaron to continue to be able to prioritize making content for you! We appreciate it so much. Simply click on this link & you'll support both of the Zints' podcasts!! patreon.com/TheHabitLab Check out our website ZintSquad.com for coaching individual and couple's coaching appointments, Online Small Groups, Aaron's book, Jenna's Habit Lab Mastery Course and more. Please review, subscribe and share your favorite episodes with a friend! Links: Online Small Group - Porn Recovery Course Couples Coaching, Habit Coaching, Porn Recovery Coaching, Emotional & Relational Health Coaching Book: Numb to Known: The Surprising Path Away From Porn

    28 min
  3. FEB 3

    Different Flavors of Comfort in Families ( feat: Rosie Zint)

    In this episode, Jenna is joined by her nine-year-old daughter, Rosie, for a sweet and surprisingly insightful conversation about what comfort looks like in their family.  Together, they talk about the different “flavors of comfort” each family member needs when big emotions show up—whether that’s physical touch, someone staying close, space to process alone, or quiet presence.  Rosie shares how she prefers space before reconnecting, while Jenna reflects on how having someone in the room can actually make it harder for her to notice what she’s feeling. The conversation is tender, honest, and full of Rosie’s natural charm.  Toward the end, Jenna also shares a recent meaningful moment they experienced together with the Lord—offering a gentle invitation for parents to cultivate similar moments of connection, emotional safety, and spiritual openness with their own kids.  This episode is both practical and heart-level, and a reminder that learning how we give and receive comfort can deepen our relationships in powerful ways. Support the show ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >>> Become a sponor of our shows This helps Jenna & Aaron to continue to be able to prioritize making content for you! We appreciate it so much. Simply click on this link & you'll support both of the Zints' podcasts!! patreon.com/TheHabitLab Check out our website ZintSquad.com for coaching individual and couple's coaching appointments, Online Small Groups, Aaron's book, Jenna's Habit Lab Mastery Course and more. Please review, subscribe and share your favorite episodes with a friend! Links: Online Small Group - Porn Recovery Course Couples Coaching, Habit Coaching, Porn Recovery Coaching, Emotional & Relational Health Coaching Book: Numb to Known: The Surprising Path Away From Porn

    35 min
  4. JAN 28

    The Dopamine Hunt behind 6,7 : how to harness joy grows where attention goes

    Dopamine isn’t just about pleasure. It’s about seeking. Your brain lights up most when the reward isn’t guaranteed—  when you’re searching, anticipating, scanning. This is why elementary kids around the country are stoked out of their minds when they encounter or hear 6,7.  What can we learn here that could help us adults harness & grow our joy as we train our attention intentionally?? Optimism isn’t just a personality trait.  It’s a trained habit of attention. In this episode, we talk about:  • the dopamine “hunt”  • why unpredictability fuels motivation  • how learned optimism actually works  • and what faith has to do with training your brain to look for goodness Joy doesn’t come from forcing positivity.  It grows where attention is practiced. Support the show ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >>> Become a sponor of our shows This helps Jenna & Aaron to continue to be able to prioritize making content for you! We appreciate it so much. Simply click on this link & you'll support both of the Zints' podcasts!! patreon.com/TheHabitLab Check out our website ZintSquad.com for coaching individual and couple's coaching appointments, Online Small Groups, Aaron's book, Jenna's Habit Lab Mastery Course and more. Please review, subscribe and share your favorite episodes with a friend! Links: Online Small Group - Porn Recovery Course Couples Coaching, Habit Coaching, Porn Recovery Coaching, Emotional & Relational Health Coaching Book: Numb to Known: The Surprising Path Away From Porn

    40 min
  5. JAN 12

    Stuck in the Same Fight: how naming patterns can break the cycles

    Why do the same conflicts keep showing up in marriage—even when the topic keeps changing? In this episode, we talk about the power of naming your patterns: the emotional and relational loops that quietly drive conflict, disconnection, and reactivity. We share real examples from our marriage, parenting, and coaching work to show how awareness creates space between a trigger and your response. When you can name what’s happening inside you—passivity, shutdown, avoidance, mind-reading, or self-rejection—you gain more self-control, clarity, and freedom to choose a different response. This isn’t about suppressing emotions or fixing your spouse; it’s about growing self-awareness so you don’t keep making the same mess. If you want practical tools for breaking unhealthy patterns, regulating emotions, and creating healthier communication in your marriage, this episode will help you slow down, get curious, and choose differently. Support the show ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >>> Become a sponor of our shows This helps Jenna & Aaron to continue to be able to prioritize making content for you! We appreciate it so much. Simply click on this link & you'll support both of the Zints' podcasts!! patreon.com/TheHabitLab Check out our website ZintSquad.com for coaching individual and couple's coaching appointments, Online Small Groups, Aaron's book, Jenna's Habit Lab Mastery Course and more. Please review, subscribe and share your favorite episodes with a friend! Links: Online Small Group - Porn Recovery Course Couples Coaching, Habit Coaching, Porn Recovery Coaching, Emotional & Relational Health Coaching Book: Numb to Known: The Surprising Path Away From Porn

    33 min
  6. 11/11/2025

    Rethinking Relative Visits

    Family visits are supposed to bring connection… but sometimes they bring exhaustion, awkward expectations, and a drained bank account. In this episode, we’re talking about what to do when the way you’re visiting family isn’t working anymore — and how to get creative about connection without spending a fortune.  We’ll share our own story (including a few hard lessons from our in-laws 😅) and offer practical alternatives for families who live far apart: meeting in the middle, combining trips, camping, even serving together. If you’ve ever felt torn between your budget and your relationships, this episode will help you rethink what “showing up” can look like in this season. Click here to donate to our missions trip: Zint family link To grab Jenna's e-workbook>>  Peaceful Christmas Planner Support the show ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >>> Become a sponor of our shows This helps Jenna & Aaron to continue to be able to prioritize making content for you! We appreciate it so much. Simply click on this link & you'll support both of the Zints' podcasts!! patreon.com/TheHabitLab Check out our website ZintSquad.com for coaching individual and couple's coaching appointments, Online Small Groups, Aaron's book, Jenna's Habit Lab Mastery Course and more. Please review, subscribe and share your favorite episodes with a friend! Links: Online Small Group - Porn Recovery Course Couples Coaching, Habit Coaching, Porn Recovery Coaching, Emotional & Relational Health Coaching Book: Numb to Known: The Surprising Path Away From Porn

    32 min
  7. 10/23/2025

    But first...Curiosity

    Ever notice how easy it is to slip into a courtroom conversation? You start building a case in your head, stacking evidence, rehearsing your defense... all before you’ve actually asked a question. This week’s episode is about the habit that can stop that spiral before it starts: curiosity. When something feels off—at work, with your kids, or in your marriage—it’s tempting to assume motives or fill in missing details. But curiosity interrupts that pattern. It slows you down long enough to seek understanding before judgment. Because the goal isn’t to win an argument; it’s to keep connection. In this episode, we'll unpack:  • why your brain fills in gaps (and gets the story wrong most of the time)  • how to replace courtroom conversations with curious ones  • a pre-confrontation filter that helps you pause before reacting Listen to “But First, Curiosity: How to Avoid Courtroom Conversations” wherever you get your podcasts. Support the show ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >>> Become a sponor of our shows This helps Jenna & Aaron to continue to be able to prioritize making content for you! We appreciate it so much. Simply click on this link & you'll support both of the Zints' podcasts!! patreon.com/TheHabitLab Check out our website ZintSquad.com for coaching individual and couple's coaching appointments, Online Small Groups, Aaron's book, Jenna's Habit Lab Mastery Course and more. Please review, subscribe and share your favorite episodes with a friend! Links: Online Small Group - Porn Recovery Course Couples Coaching, Habit Coaching, Porn Recovery Coaching, Emotional & Relational Health Coaching Book: Numb to Known: The Surprising Path Away From Porn

    37 min
5
out of 5
142 Ratings

About

Aaron and Jenna have been married for over a decade and love talking to people about their relationships, the messiness, the struggle and the victories in all of it. If you're married or planning on it, you can expect 1) Tools for the growth of your marriage and you personally 2) Hope for a healthy marriage no matter what you've experienced up to this point 3) Laughter and comfort when you say, "That's totally us!" and "We've been there!" If you've enjoyed our podcasts, would you consider financially supporting the show?We set-up a secure way for you to do that. This helps the Zints to continue to be able to prioritize making content for you! We appreciate it so much!http://patreon.com/TheHabitLab

You Might Also Like