We recently had the chance to connect with Rachael Kraft Hassall and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Rachael, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
For those of you who don’t know me, I work side-by-side with my husband, Nathan Hassall. After a decade of pursuing our own careers—Nathan’s as a professional writer, non-fiction book editor, and Malibu Poet Laureate, and mine working as a senior executive director in SaaS and technology companies—we decided to launch our own venture together: The Poetry Vessel, a creative education platform where we explore poetry, writing, and how language shapes and delights the mind. We’ve spent the last year building and growing it together.
Working with your spouse isn’t for everyone, but after years of struggling with burnout, this has truly been one of the most fulfilling chapters of my life. And honestly, not a day goes by that Nathan doesn’t make me laugh—maybe it’s the dry British humor, or his charming English-isms—but it’s become one of my favorite parts of working with him.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi, I’m Rachael Hassall. I’m co-founder of The Poetry Vessel, an online platform my husband and I built to make poetry feel accessible, enjoyable, and transformative. My background is in Industrial-Organizational Psychology and customer experience. When I’m not doing UX consulting work, I spend my time producing videos, podcasts, and courses at the intersection of poetry, creativity, psychology, philosophy, and neuroscience.
What makes our work unique is that we’re not just teaching people how to write—we’re exploring how language changes the brain, how creativity helps us discover who we are, and how everyday people can reconnect to their inner, poetic voice. We’re here to make poetry most enjoyable for people, including the curious and skeptics, by making poetry fun and modern, through a mix of in-person workshops and online teachings.
Most recently, we launched a first-of-its-kind online course, “How Poetry Changes Your Brain,” in collaboration with National Best-selling Author and expert neuroscience researcher, Mark Waldman. It’s one of the most exciting and meaningful projects we’ve ever created — and many people are already learning how to write, speak, and listen poetically — something our brains crave.
Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who saw you clearly before you could see yourself?
Nathan, without question. He saw my capability long before I had the courage to claim it for myself. Before I ever stepped behind a camera or considered myself a creative person, he was the one encouraging me to explore that part of myself and trust that I had something meaningful to offer. I now create with much more freedom and find myself going many places, armed with a camera, knowing that the beauty of the world can find its way into our poetry videos for everyone to enjoy.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering taught me that the path to healing is never linear.
When we lost our family home in the Woolsey Fire in 2018, it often felt impossible to imagine what healing could even look like. And when the Palisades Fire began in January 2025 — destroying much of Malibu — that old trauma resurfaced. However, in both times, I was reminded of the strength of this small community: how people show up for one another when everything feels frightening and uncertain, and how we connect and attend to one another despite the fear, anxiety, and pain these disasters cause.
During the Palisades Fire, my husband was serving as the Malibu Poet Laureate and leading creative events for the community. It was in the aftermath of that crisis that I fully understood how deeply we need art, poetry, and community to heal and to make meaning of our experiences. Having a place for that expression — right here, among our neighbors — is essential, because when we write together, and share our poetry, our language, with one another, we heal together.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
I’m committed to building The Poetry Vessel into a long-term home for people who want to write, think, feel, and grow creatively. We want to create a space (both on and offline) where people feel seen, connected, and empowered to use their voice—because poetry and storytelling are some of the most accessible tools we have for self-knowledge, community connectivity, and personal transformation.
One part of this commitment is our ongoing effort to feature poets from around the world on The Poetry Vessel Podcast. We’re always reading new work, and we love how many talented writers submit their poems and share their voice with our growing community. We love having new voices in the Vessel, and invite your poetry submissions to us on The Poetry Vessel website (www.thepoetryvessel.com/submit).
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. If you knew you had 10 years left, what would you stop doing immediately?
I would stop investing my energy in things that don’t nourish me. Meaning, I would devote my time solely to relationships, work, and projects that feel aligned, meaningful, and genuinely reciprocal. I’d spend more time traveling—first exploring the country with my husband in our Minnie Winnebago, and then seeing as much of the world as I could before my time was up.
Recently, we worked on a video project documenting a fundraising event for someone my husband had known since childhood — a close friend of his sister who was battling terminal breast cancer. Her final days were spent surrounded by those she loved most, and it reminded me that, in the end, nothing matters more than the people we hold close. We did our small part to honor her legacy, helping raise money for her young twin girls she left behind by capturing an English football event in the village of Southwater, organized by Nathan’s sister, Zoë, and her friends.
In the words of esteemed poet, Mary Oliver, “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?”
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thepoetryvessel.com
- Instagram: @thepoetryvessel
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rachaelkraft/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/679241721377487
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@nathanhassallpoetry?sub_confirmation=1
- Other: How Poetry Changes Your Brain Online Course: https://www.thepoetryvessel.com/poetrychangesyourbrain/
Image Credits
George St. Photography, other photos taken by The Poetry Vessel, LLC.
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