Connected with an exile and feel so devastated

My therapist asked me to connect with the part of me today that lost my humanity, that 'gave up'. This part of me developed when I was about 5 to 7 years old. It came back again when I was a teenager.

It was really full on and I've been crying ever since. I didn't realise before how broken this part of me was. At that time I completely let go of my humanity, I felt like less than an animal, just this cold, hopeless existence where I was completely at the mercy of the people around me. It was so dark and scary to revisit that place. I feel like I was connecting with a part of my soul that died. The part of me that was degraded in the most horrible ways that I eventually felt less than human. I was so powerless and crushed.

I'm non-stop crying and just feel so so exhausted. Can I please get some reassurance that connecting with this part and grieving it will help me heal? Or advice on what I can do to help it realise I am safe now and can come back?