Final answer:
Paraphrasing is repeating the main idea in different words to clarify the message, maintaining original intent and ensuring the patient feels understood. It is critical in therapeutic communication between a healthcare provider and a patient.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term therapeutic regarding communication, particularly in patient interactions, refers to techniques that are aimed at ensuring the patient feels heard and understood. In this context, when a practitioner is repeating the main idea in different words to show their understanding to the patient, the technique being used is known as paraphrasing. Paraphrasing is a skill where information or ideas from another person's text are put into one's own words. It is crucial for maintaining the same length and original intent of the message while clarifying it to enhance understanding. This is different from summarizing, which condenses the text, or quoting, which repeats the text verbatim. It is important in academic writing and effective communication to provide clarity, especially when complex ideas or jargon are present.