WASHINGTON — As the House Select Committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection resumes its public hearings next week, some who were working on Capitol Hill that day say the proceedings are reviving painful memories.

Some have sought out a new support group formed by Hill staffers and a U.S. Capitol Police officer to help them deal with the aftereffects of that day, and start to heal.

Sharon Nichols, a communications director in the House of Representatives, said she still has flashbacks from Jan. 6, when she spent hours locked inside her office as a mob stormed the Capitol.

“I sit at the same desk now that I was sitting at that day, watching it play out on TV and running to the windows and trying to figure out if I should turn the lights off," Nichols said in an interview with Spectrum News. "It does bring back those memories."

She has been outspoken about her experiences that day, and has found an outlet for her trauma on social media. Her posts caught the attention of U.S. Capitol Police Sgt. Harry Dunn, a 13-year veteran of the force, who defended the Capitol that day.

“I responded to her and we became friends, it was just instant,” Dunn said.

Together, they formed a support group to help others with similar experiences navigate their feelings.

“So much attention was given to the police officers from Jan. 6, but when you think about it, so many other people were impacted by Jan. 6,” Dunn said.

The group has met three times so far and is open to anyone who works in the Capitol complex. Although some Republican lawmakers have downplayed the events of Jan. 6, Nichols said staffers who work for members on both sides have attended. 

“We’ve been careful not to push anybody to give identifying information about themselves,” she said.

As the House Jan. 6 Select Committee reveals new evidence in public hearings, the support group has grown.

“We bring tissues and snacks," Nichols said. "People who work here, seeing themselves in those videos, having to relive it — it’s emotional."

“Some of the people in the group, we text each other while the hearing is going on, 'Hey are you OK?’” Dunn said.

U.S. Capitol Police Sgt. Aquilino Gonell, an Army veteran, said he’s found comfort in attending the support group.

“It’s been helpful to just know we are not going through this alone," he said in an interview with Spectrum News. "I know I’ve benefited from it outside of the other treatment I’ve had."

Gonell suffered major injuries to his foot and shoulder after being attacked during the Capitol siege. He just completed physical therapy, but doesn’t think he’ll be able to serve in full uniform again.

“It’s not the way I want to retire or leave the department — I’m still young, as young as I feel like," he said. "But, you know, mentally and physically my body isn’t there. I’ve been through a lot."

For many, the events of Jan. 6 still echo through the halls of the Capitol Complex — Gonell said he won’t walk near the lower west terrace entrance to the Capitol by himself, where he was attacked that day.

“I start hearing all the screams and everything I went through,” he said.

“Years later, and for years to come, we will be living with the impact,” Nichols said. 

Others say true healing will begin once the truth about what happened on Jan. 6 is fully brought to light. 

“Look at the revelations that are coming out with some of these hearings, that’s not closure," Dunn said. "There won’t be closure on my part until accountability is had for the people responsible for it."