She came to China with her husband in January 1995, started studying TCM at Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine in 1997, and gradually opened several TCM clinics in China. 

TCM is not easy to learn, especially for a foreign student. "It was a double challenge for me. First, I had to improve my Chinese language skills, and then I had to understand the medical content. It was extremely challenging," Rathgeber said in an interview with CGTN. 

To better understand TCM theory, Rathgeber purchased two books in Germany and studied them thoroughly. However, she found that if you haven't been exposed to Chinese philosophy before, even if you read a book in German about TCM theory, such as the "Five Elements Theory" or the "Yin and Yang Theory," you still wouldn't really understand what they mean. So, she had to put a lot of effort into learning Chinese philosophy, and in the end, she finally managed to grasp it. 

In 2003, Rathgeber and her husband started a consulting company and discovered that both Chinese people and people from overseas were quite interested in TCM. So, she opened a TCM clinic with a friend and in 2006, 2010, and 2012, they opened several more clinics together. Although the pandemic had an adverse impact on their business, they gradually recovered and eventually settled on running two clinics.  

Many non-Chinese have provided excellent explanations of TCM. However, one criticism Rathgeber has is that in Germany, some foreign practitioners of TCM translate the content and specific terms into Latin and then try to explain it using Western medical concepts. "I consider this to be a fundamental mistake because these two systems are completely different, even though they share the same origins," explained Rathgeber. 

"I believe TCM is a science." Rathgeber further observed that in the past there was no advanced technology or equipment to examine the body, so doctors needed to understand the conditions inside the body from the outside. However, with over 3,000 years of history, TCM has successfully treated countless patients. Even if it's not possible to identify every molecule or explain what is under a microscope, they can still achieve therapeutic effects. The entire development of the practice throughout history has proved that TCM is a matter of science, Rathgeber concluded.