Biography
Marcos Muniz Apolonio, DSW, MSW/LCSW (he/him), is a licensed clinical social worker, educator, and practitioner-scholar specializing in culturally informed behavioral health, LGBTQ+ mental health, trauma-informed care, and the intersections of faith, identity, and psychological resilience. He earned his Doctor of Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania, where his dissertation Mended Rainbow examined how LGBTQ+ individuals reconcile their identities with fundamentalist religious environments. His work integrates multilingual and multicultural clinical practice in Portuguese, Spanish, and English, community-based engagement, and a commitment to advancing equity for historically marginalized populations.
Dr. Apolonio has been teaching in social work education for eight years, including five years as an adjunct instructor in the MSW program at California State University, East Bay, and three years in the MSW program at San José State University.
Dr. Apolonio’s scholarship and community engagement extend internationally. He has been invited as a speaker, trainer, and consultant throughout the United States, Brazil, and Portugal to address the intersections of sexual orientation, gender identity, and conservative or fundamentalist religious traditions. His work in these settings centers on supporting LGBTQ+ individuals, fostering inclusive faith communities, and advancing culturally responsive approaches to identity formation, trauma recovery, and community well-being. He has collaborated with organizations, universities, health-care institutions, and community groups to promote dialogue, education, and transformative practices across diverse cultural contexts.
Through his combined academic, clinical, and community-based roles, Dr. Apolonio remains committed to advancing social justice, strengthening culturally grounded practice, and supporting marginalized communities in ways that honor the complexity of lived experience and the resilience of diverse identities.
Education
Dissertation: Mended Rainbow: Reconciling LGBTQ+ Sexual Orientation and Gender Identities with Fundamentalist Religious Backgrounds
• MSW (2008) – California State University, East Bay
Concentration: Social Work Practice & Community Mental Health
• BA in Theology (1995) – UNASP, Adventist University of São Paulo (Brazil)
Specialization: Education & Pastoral Theology
• Licensure – Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW #81717, California)
Areas of Expertise
- LGBTQ+ mental health
- Trauma-informed care
- Culturally informed and multilingual clinical practice
- Faith and identity reconciliation in conservative religious contexts
- Immigrant and multicultural communities
Publications
• Adventist HealthCare Spiritual Care Department (2023, October). Trauma-Informed and LGBTQ+-Affirming Spiritual Care. Professional training for hospital chaplains.
• SDA Kinship Europe (2013, September). Spirituality and Inclusion Workshops. Lisbon, Portugal.
• SDA Kinship International (2006; 2016). LGBTQ+ inclusion and spirituality workshops, Orlando, FL and Linthicum Heights, MD.
• Um Lugar Comunidade – Field Project (2025, July). Multidisciplinary community outreach and mental health services, São Raimundo Nonato, Piauí, Brazil.
• Um Lugar Comunidade (2022–present). Consultant and educator facilitating trainings on inclusive faith-based spaces, LGBTQ+ identity formation, and trauma reconciliation across multiple Brazilian states.
• SDA Kinship International / Kinship Brazil (2003–present). Ongoing presentations, community education, and crisis support for LGBTQ+ individuals navigating religious-based discrimination.