Spanking for Healing

I'm a nurse and also a Mommy to my sub, Mark. He's thirty too. I guide him back from bad decisions with a firm hand. Last week, he drank way too much again at work, acting out of line in front of patients. When we talked about it later, he admitted he needed the belt for letting us down like that. So I did. Saw the marks, yes, but also saw the resolve in his eyes afterwards. Is this just my twisted side or a real healing process? Thoughts?